Molecular modelling of adsorption in novel nanoporous metal-organic materials

Grand canonical Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulations have been performed for methane, n-alkanes, cyclohexane and benzene in two novel nanoporous metal-organic materials. The first material, bipyridine molecular squares, consists of discrete square molecules with corners formed by rhenium complexes and edges formed by bipyridine links, giving a small cavity within each square. The material is considered in both its crystalline form and an amorphous packing of squares. The second material is IRMOF-1, a periodic, crystalline structure also with metal corners and organic bridging units. Adsorption isotherms and self-diffusion coefficients are reported and provide insight into molecular interactions in these materials.