Development of safe and energy-saving storage of natural gas using an efficient adsorbent is requisite for a clean-energy society (e.g. smart cities) in the near future. With this awareness, we aim to develop a new type of adsorbent that enables construction of a safe natural gas storage system with self-release of heat on adsorption and self-heating for desorption. This objective can be attained by synergetic hybridization of honeycomb-structured graphene and high surface area metal organic framework (MOFs). Therefore, we develop optimum preparation routes for the honeycomb-structured graphene and MOF nanocrystals and search the most synergetic hybridization of the graphene and MOF crystals with the state-of–the-artbased international teams. Shinshu University is in charge of the development of the
optimum nanostructured graphene and accessible porosity evaluation with N2 and Ar adsorption, as well as electrical and thermal conductivity studies of the graphene-MOF hybrid materials. University of Milano synthesizes optimum MOF nanocrystals and
determines their precise structures with X-ray diffraction. University of Paris designs the synergetic hybridization of the nanostructured graphene and MOF nanocrystals with molecular simulation. Budapest University of Technology and Economics evaluates the total nanoporosity including very narrow micropores with small angle X-ray scattering and examine the effect of coexistent water on the effective nanoporosity. Alicante University evaluates the methane adsorption characteristics of the developed graphene and MOF nanocrystals using high pressure adsorption system, ultramicroporosity with CO2 adsorption and specific heats of adsorption using microcalorimetry.
Only the research alliance proposed here can attain the final goal able to provide the clean energy that society needs with sufficient safety.