Unlocking the potential of an aqueous and sustainable synthesis method to produce and combine MOFs from combinations of ferrous/ferric iron and five benzene carboxylates and deliver superior desiccants with tailor made water vapor isotherm shapes.

Air-conditioning (AC) accounts for 7% of global greenhouse gas emissions. One way to improve the energy efficiency of AC equipment is to dry the air prior to its cooling. For this, sponge-like materials are used that can soak up the small water droplets that are in the wet air. A new class of nanomaterials called MOFs (metal-organic frameworks) possess an extraordinary capability to this. However, before they can be used in commercial AC equipment, significant efforts must be made to reduce their material/production cost and shape them into sturdy and durable forms. This project will focus on developing several new and affordable MOFs through a simple and sustainable method. The method is also very tunable, meaning that it allows to customize the properties of the MOFs and guide them towards the desired state. Lastly and to evaluate their performance in a realistic environment, the new MOFs will be structured into flexible and resistant laminates and then built into a component that can be inserted easily into an existing AC equipment.

Faculty Supervisor:

Paula Wood-Adams;Effrosyni Diamantoudi;Ashlee Howarth;Ashlee Howarth

Student:

Partner:

V1 Studio;Exsia Technologies

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Education

University:

Concordia University

Program: