Disentangling Adsorption and Absorption in Microporous Polymers.

ABSTRACT: Polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIMs) are a unique class of soft materials, which, unlike hard materials such as zeolites or carbons, are capable of both vapor adsorption (nanopore filling) and absorption (polymer plasticization/swelling). While adsorption is governed by pore structure and surface functionalization, adsorption depends on the chemical composition of the matrix material. Since both adsorption and absorption increase sorbent mass (vapor uptake), gravimetric and volumetric characterization methods exhibit severe limitations in isotherm interpretation. Thus, distinguishing between vapor adsorption and absorption remains a key challenge for understanding sub-nanometer-scale processes, which play a crucial role in many emerging applications of PIMs, including gas separation,

SUBMITTER: Furedi M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12464648 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature