High rate nanofluidic energy absorption in porous zeolitic frameworks

TL;DR

This study reveals that water intrusion in hydrophobic ZIF frameworks significantly increases energy absorption capacity at high strain rates, with molecular insights guiding the design of advanced impact absorbers.

Contribution

It uncovers the rate-dependent energy absorption mechanism in ZIFs and formulates design rules for high-performance impact energy absorbers.

Findings

Energy absorption capacity increases at high strain rates in ZIFs.

Water cluster nucleation inside nanocages accelerates water transport.

Design guidelines for reusable impact energy absorbers are proposed.

Abstract

Optimal mechanical impact absorbers are reusable and exhibit high specific energy absorption. The forced intrusion of liquid water in hydrophobic nanoporous materials, such as zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs), presents an attractive pathway to engineer such systems. However, to harness their full potential, it is crucial to understand the underlying water intrusion and ex-trusion mechanisms under realistic, high-rate deformation conditions. Herein, we report a critical increase of the energy absorption capacity of confined water-ZIF systems at elevated strain rates. Starting from ZIF-8 as proof-of-concept, we demonstrate that this attractive rate depend-ence is generally applicable to cage-type ZIFs but disappears for channel-containing zeolites. Molecular simulations reveal that this phenomenon originates from the intrinsic nanosecond timescale needed for critical-sized water clusters to nucleate inside the nanocages, expediting water transport through the framework. Harnessing this fundamental understanding, design rules are formulated to construct effective, tailorable, and reusable impact energy absorbers for challenging new applications.