top of page

Mechanisorption: Storing Energy in Non-Equilibrium Materials through Active Adsorption

​

 

 

 

 

 

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Over the past century, adsorption research has primarily focused on equilibrium systems, studying physisorption and chemisorption. Recently, we discovered a fundamentally new mode of adsorption—mechanisorption—which forms mechanical bonds between adsorbents and adsorbates through non-equilibrium pumping. This discovery marks the first significant advancement in the fundamentals of adsorption since the 1930s. Mechanisorption resembles the active transport mechanisms in living organisms that control ion movement across membranes. Adsorbates are transported from the bulk to the interface, creating a vast chemical potential gradient and storing energy in a metastable state. We have achieved electrochemically-driven automated synthesis of these non-equilibrium materials.

 

This breakthrough extends the potential of adsorption phenomena and provides a transformative approach to controlling chemistry at surfaces and interfaces. By leveraging active adsorption mechanisms and materials, mechanisorption offers a promising solution for effective decarbonization, which can significantly contribute to addressing the climate and sustainability challenges we face today.

​

​

​

​

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

​

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

​

Further reading:

Fraser2.jpg
Yunyan1.jpg
Picture87697809801.png
bottom of page