Lab-scale insights into green metal–organic framework sorbents for gas separation or purification

Abstract

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have been proposed to provide solutions for industrially-relevant gas separations due to their exciting structural and porosity attributes. Significant progress has been made in the past decade in the development of tailor-made MOFs for gas separation applications. However, most of the developed MOF sorbents, made from different metal salt and organic linker precursors, cannot be prepared following green chemistry principles. Accordingly, recent research has focused on green synthesis protocols for preparing MOFs for energy and environment applications. This short review delves into the lab-scale development of green MOF sorbents, showcasing their performance in selected gas separation applications. By summarizing key recently reported examples, we illustrate the potential of green MOFs to advance the transition to large/industrial scale synthesis and sustainable gas separation technologies. Our analysis also reveals a critical gap, i.e., the lack of quantitative data showing environmental impact and comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies.