Clathrate Hydrates

Abstract Clathrate hydrates are arguably the best understood class of supramolecular materials. Extensive experimental work has been carried out over the last 200 years, and theoretical and computational work for the last 50 years. Also, clathrate hydrates have been investigated from an industrial point of view as these materials tend to form blockages in oil and gas pipelines. Finally, clathrate hydrates occur in nature and play a complex and incompletely understood role in the geosphere. This work presents an overview of the structures and properties of clathrate hydrates as supramolecular solids as well as some of the theoretical foundations required to understand these interesting solids formed between water and a variety of guest species.