Russia has developed a heat-resistant porous material used in water purification and sensors.
The press office of the Russian Science Foundation reported that scientists have created a porous material based on organosilicon compounds, characterized by its chemical stability and ability to withstand high temperatures. According to the office, it will form the basis for reusable catalysts, humidity sensors, and absorbent materials. The office noted that this material easily changes to a blue color when heated to 80 degrees Celsius, as a result of the loss of water molecules usually associated with copper ions, and returns to a turquoise color when placed in a humid environment after heating, making it useful for visual detection of humidity. Scientists call this material a metal-organic framework (MOF ), a term used for highly porous nanostructures made of organic molecules and metal ions, resembling a honeycomb structure. These structures are widely used as the basis for filters, gas detectors, and as a coating for hazardous materials. A team of Russian chemists, led by Ashot Arzumanyan , director of the Functional Organic Compounds Laboratory at the Institute of Organic Compounds of the Russian Academy of Sciences, has developed an unusual metal-organic framework based on copper ions and symmetric organosilicon molecules. This molecule consists of a ring of silicon and oxygen atoms linked to four organosilicon "residues". Researcher Sergei Kotomov explained : "When alcoholic solutions of copper salt and organic silicon acid are mixed and dried, a turquoise-colored powder is produced, characterized by a very low density, one hundred times less than the density of water, which makes it described as an organic mineral aerogel." Thanks to these properties, the material can be used as a moisture sensor to protect electronics and water-sensitive components, as well as a base for reusable catalysts that oxidize complex molecules or form nitrogenous organic compounds. Scientists pointed out the possibility of using the material to purify industrial wastewater and extract moisture in arid regions of the earth, which opens up broad prospects for multiple industrial and environmental applications.
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