Adsorption Phenomena in Porous Materials

Adsorption in porous materials arises from the interaction of fluid or gas molecules with solid surfaces, driven by van der Waals forces, electrostatic interactions and chemical affinities. Porous solids are typically classified by their pore size distribution into micropores, mesopores and macropores, each contributing uniquely to capacity, selectivity and transport. At low pressures, adsorption follows linear Henry’s law behaviour before transitioning through multilayer and pore-filling regimes described by various isotherm models. The architecture and chemical heterogeneity of the pore walls govern adsorption energetics and kinetics, with isosteric heat serving as a key indicator of interaction strength. Advances in theoretical frameworks, molecular simulation and in situ characterisation have refined our understanding of how temperature, pressure and pore geometry control uptake. Practical applications span gas separation, carbon capture, energy storage and catalysis, where tailored porous architectures enable enhanced performance under operational conditions.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have established a universal theoretical framework linking the distribution of energy sites on heterogeneous surfaces to macroscopic adsorption performance. This approach enables pre-design of porous surfaces with specified energy site densities, guiding synthesis towards materials that combine high selectivity with rapid uptake kinetics. Validated across multiple adsorbate–adsorbent pairs, this model offers predictive control of thermodynamic and kinetic sweet spots, laying foundational principles for the rational engineering of advanced adsorbent materials.

Adsorption Phenomena in Porous Materials publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in adsorption phenomena in porous materials across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Adsorption isotherm: Relationship between the amount of adsorbate and equilibrium pressure at a fixed temperature, describing uptake regimes.

Micropore: Pore with diameter less than 2 nm, responsible for high adsorption capacity through pore-filling mechanisms.

Mesopore: Pore with diameter between 2 nm and 50 nm, mediating diffusive transport and multilayer adsorption.

Isosteric heat of adsorption: Heat released per mole of adsorbate at constant surface coverage, indicative of interaction strength and site heterogeneity.

Henry’s constant: Proportionality factor describing adsorption in the low-pressure limit, reflecting the initial affinity of adsorbate molecules for the surface.

References

1. A Universal Theoretical Framework in Material Characterization for Tailored Porous Surface Design. Scientific Reports (2019).
2. Thermodynamically consistent modeling of gas flow and adsorption in porous media. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer (2024).
3. Hybrid Pore-Scale Adsorption Model for CO2 and CH4 Storage in Shale. Energy & Fuels (2022).
4. Investigation of the Zeta Adsorption Model and Gas-Solid Adsorption Phase Transition Mechanism Using Statistical Mechanics at Gas-Solid Interfaces. Adsorption Science & Technology (2023).