A Simple Metal-Organic Framework for the Selective Adsorption of Carbon Dioxide From Flue Gas
1 October 2026
Affiliation
A*STAR
NUS
Focus topic
CO2 Capture
Earth-abundant aluminum formate MOF for selective flue gas capture
Summary
Scalable and low-cost aluminum formate (ALF) MOF synthesized from commodity precursors (aluminum hydroxide and formic acid).
Key achievements:
Capacity and Selectivity: High CO2 adsorption capacity (4.8 mmol/g at 1 bar, 320 K) with outstanding CO2/N2 IAST selectivity based on precise pore-size gating.
High-Temperature & Corrosive Stability: Maintains dynamic capture performance at elevated temperatures (323 K) with a dynamic capacity of 0.8 mmol/g (CO2/N2 selectivity of 75). Demonstrates exceptional chemical resilience against acid gases (SO2 and NO).
Cycling & Regenerability: Stable over 100+ heat-regeneration cycles at 353 K in dry CO2 atmosphere. Low isosteric heat of adsorption (Qst = 47.7 kJ/mol) enables low regeneration energy.
Mechanical Properties: Robust crystal structure allows easy pelletization and ball-milling while retaining original performance.
Economic Viability: Material cost estimated at ~$1000 per metric ton, enabling cost-effective deployment with standard upstream flue gas cooling/drying units.
What makes this novel compared to best-in-class technology?
Ultra-low-cost MOF using commodity reagents without organic solvents; achieves size-selective CO2/N2 separation at elevated temperatures (323 K) with high resistance to corrosive SO2/NO and facile low-temperature (353 K) thermal regeneration; superior mechanical strength enables easy pelletization without loss of capacity.
TRL Level
1-3
Relevant for
Coal/gas-fired power plants, waste-to-energy facilities, steel mills, cement kilns, and industrial chemical processing plants utilizing post-combustion carbon capture systems with pre-drying units
About
Inventors: John Wang, Dan Zhao, Yuxiang Wang, Pieremanuele Canepa, Dinesh Mullangi, Zeyu Deng, Anthony Kevin Cheetham (NUS); Fengxia Wei (A*STAR)
Affiliation: National University of Singapore (NUS), Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE)
Related IPs: ID ref [2024-148] Hydrophobic Metal-Organic Framework Composites For Carbon Capture
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