In-situ Quasi Elastic Neutron Scattering of Zeolitic Imidazolate Frameworks under Pressurised Intrusion of Aqueous Solutions

The pressurised intrusion of non-wetting liquids in porous framework materials presents an attractive pathway to engineering new impact mitigation systems. In this process, external pressure forces liquid water or aqueous solutions to intrude hydrophobic nanopores, thereby converting mechanical work into interfacial energy by generating huge liquid-solid interfaces. Our in-house studies found that cage-type ZIFs can be effective and reusable shock absorbers through this mechanism, setting them apart from conventional protection materials. To understand the fundamental mechanisms, the dynamic information on water molecules in the nanopore confinement environment is critical, therefore we propose to use Quasi Elastic Neutron Scattering (QENS) to study the dynamics of the liquid solutions inside hydrophobic Zeolitic Imidazolate Frameworks (ZIFs) under mechanical pressure.