In-situ Neutron Powder Diffraction 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 Zeolitic Imidazolate Frameworks can be effective and reusable shock absorbers through this mechanism, setting them apart from conventional protection materials. Furthermore, it’s shown that alcohol can be an effective modulator of water intrusion behaviours, but the mechanisms related to this are not well understood yet. Herein, we propose to use in-situ neutron powder diffraction at the GEM beamline in ISIS to study the intrusion of liquid solutions in ZIF-8 under mechanical pressure.