U.S.-Polish Collaborative Research: Pillared Compounds: Their Synthesis, Structure and Properties

Texas A&M Research Foundation, College Station TX

Investigators

Abstract

This is a U.S.-Polish collaborative research project on novel types of porous materials with narrow pore size distributions that are in the 10-20 angstrom range. The principal investigators are Abraham Clearfield from Texas A&M University and Jerzy Zon from Wroclaw University of Technology. Porous materials have a variety of uses in separating molecules based upon size, have extensive use in catalysis, sensors, drug delivery, ion exchange and nanoscience. Among the best examples are zeolites, used extensively for most of these purposes but best known as improving the yield of gasoline and home heating oil in petroleum cracking. A disadvantage is that their useful cavities are small, less than 1 nanometer or one millionth of an inch. A decade ago a new family of inorganic porous materials was discovered with narrow distribution of pores in the 2 - 15 nm range and many potential uses. This project in materials research research fulfills the program objectives of bringing together leading experts in the U.S. and Central/Eastern Europe to combine complementary efforts and capabilities in areas of strong mutual interest and competence on the basis of equality, reciprocity, and mutuality of benefit.