Argon adsorption on MCM-48 mesoporous crystal studied by in situ synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction
image: Lower figures are the electron density distribution analyzed in this study, where the filling process of Ar gas into the pores of MCM-48 is observed as a change in electron density.
Credit: Osaka Metropolitan University
An Osaka Metropolitan University-led research team studied the structure of the silica mesoporous crystal MCM-48 and the argon adsorption process by in situ synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction (XRD). The diffraction intensity data were analyzed using the maximum entropy method (MEM). The Ar adsorption process within the mesopores was directly monitored through changes in the electron density distribution in the sample.
The diffraction patterns clearly reflected different stages of adsorption as the gas pressure increased: gradual formation of an adsorbed film on the pore walls at low pressures, followed by stepwise pore filling due to capillary condensation. The real-space imaging of diffraction data presented in this paper is a robust and promising approach for improving our understanding of gas–solid interactions during adsorption and for characterizing the pore structures of mesoporous crystals.
###
About OMU
Established in Osaka as one of the largest public universities in Japan, Osaka Metropolitan University is committed to shaping the future of society through the “Convergence of Knowledge” and the promotion of world-class research. For more research news, visit https://www.omu.ac.jp/en/ and follow us on social media: X, Instagram, LinkedIn