Pore engineering of porous framework materials for efficient SF6 capture

Abstract

Sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆) is an artificial inert gas widely used in the power and semiconductor industries and is known to be a significant contributor to the greenhouse effect due to its high global warming potential. Porous framework materials (PFMs), including metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), covalent organic frameworks (COFs) and porous aromatic frameworks (PAFs), are well-established SF₆ adsorbents characterized by highly ordered pore structures that can efficiently adsorb SF₆ via various electrostatic interactions. Recent advancements have focused on optimizing electrostatic interactions with SF₆ molecules to enhance their SF₆ adsorption performance in industrial settings. However, a comprehensive review on precise control of the structural and chemical properties through pore engineering strategies for PFMs has not been reported yet. This review systematically outlines the structure–activity relationship and the dominant mechanisms of host–guest interaction modes for effective SF₆ capture and discusses pore engineering strategies to achieve efficient SF₆ capture. Specifically, adjusting the pore structure to align with SF₆ molecules, modifying the pore surface to strengthen electrostatic interactions and designing hierarchical pore structures to enhance SF₆ adsorption kinetics are involved. Lastly, the potential of PFMs for SF₆ capture is discussed from perspectives of AI-driven creation of high-performance PFMs, construction of PFMs with enhanced water- and acid-resistance under specialized conditions and shaping methods, aiming to guide the development of advanced SF₆ adsorbents based on PFMs.