Rosana Vieira Pinto

MIL-120(Al) efficiently captures CO ₂ to produce biomethane. Through a combined experimental and computational approach, we show how the material performs this separation even the presence of moisture.

The first systematic comparison of different hybridization strategies for MIL-101(Cr)/GO composites that simultaneously evaluates both gravimetric and volumetric H ₂ storage and delivery performance.

Different classes of ordered porous materials, metal-organic frameworks and titanosilicates, with potential as nitric oxide (NO) delivery carriers are combined with a biocompatible hydrophobic polymer, polycaprolactone (PCL), to obtain a more clinically practical format and to improve the delivery kinetics and stability of the porous materials for NO-based therapies. Incorporation into PCL films transforms the rapid, minute-scale NO release of the powders into sustained release profiles lasting up to 24 h in biologically relevant media. By selecting the type of porous solid and tuning its loading and particle size within the polymer matrix, the NO dosage and release rate can be modulated. The film-like form of these PCL/porous material composites is particularly promising for clinical applications, such as wound dressings, where controlled NO release may support healing while providing antibacterial effects.

Hydrogen (H2) is a clean and high-energy carrier; however, its low volumetric energy density remains a major barrier to practical storage and transport. This study demonstrates that the hybridization of MIL-101(Cr) with graphene oxide (GO) effectively enhances H2 storage and release capacities. The integration of GO, with a density of 450 kg m-3, into MIL-101(Cr), a highly porous metal-organic framework (ABET ≥ 3,500 m2 g-1, Vpore ≥ 2.0 cm3 g-1 and 259 kg m-3 of density) was investigated through a post-synthetic hybridization strategy, leading to increased ultra-microporosity and enhanced density of the resulting hybrids. Although GO incorporation led to a reduction in gravimetric (wt.%) H2 storage at 77 K and 100 bar, ranging from 3% to 36% as GO content increased, it significantly improved H2 uptake at 273 K and 100 bar. The hybrid with 1 wt.% GO exhibited the most notable enhancement, achieving a 40% increase in gravimetric storage capacity (273 K, 100 bar) compared to pure MIL-101(Cr). This hybrid also demonstrated superior volumetric performance, reaching a 6% increase both in total H2 storage, 35.8 kg m-3 (77 K, 100 bar), and deliverable capacity, 34.2 kg m-3, under practical operating conditions (i.e., charging: 77 K and 100 bar; discharging: 160 K and 5 bar). These findings highlight the dual role of GO: densifying the composite while potentially introducing ultramicroporosity, particularly effective at elevated temperatures, offering a promising pathway toward practical, scalable, and efficient hydrogen storage systems.

Gas therapy using gasotransmitters is of exponential interest due to the growing recognition of gas signaling molecules that can be involved in multiple therapeutic actions. Finding suitable methods for delivering these molecules is crucial, and porous materials, notably metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs), have shown exceptional potential as gas carriers, enabling safe and controlled local delivery. The challenges to translate these MOF therapies to clinical use require not only to validate the mechanisms of action and signaling pathways for the released gas molecules but also get a deep understanding into the MOF rational design, as it requires a combination of features to maximize the therapeutic outcomes. In this perspective, we outline the key criteria for designing suitable MOFs for gas delivery applications and highlight the expanding range of therapeutic opportunities these materials may offer. Readers can use these insights of MOF design and features to develop gasotransmitter therapies with realistic clinic interest.

The development of solid materials that deliver nitric oxide (NO) are of interest for several therapeutic applications. Nevertheless, due to NO’s reactive nature, rapid diffusion and short half-life, reporting their NO delivery characteristics is rather complex. The full knowledge of this parameter is fundamental to discuss the therapeutic utility of these materials, and thus, the NO quantification strategy must be carefully considered according to the NO-releasing scaffold type, to the expected NO-releasing amounts and to the medium of quantification. In this work, we explore and discuss three different ways of quantifying the release of NO in different biological fluids: haemoglobin assay, Griess assay and NO electrochemical detection. For these measurements, different porous materials, namely zeolites and titanosilicates were used as models for NO-releasing platforms. The oxyhaemoglobin assay offers great sensitivity (nanomolar levels), but it is only possible to monitor the NO release while oxyhaemoglobin is not fully converted. On the other hand, Griess assay has low sensitivity in complex biological media, namely in blood, and interferences with media make NO measurements questionable. Nevertheless, this method can measure micromolar amounts of NO and may be useful for an initial screening for long-term release performance. The electrochemical sensor enabled real-time measurements in a variety of biological settings. However, measured NO is critically low in oxygenated and complex media, giving transient signals, which makes long-term quantification impossible. Despite the disadvantages of each method, the combination of all the results provided a more comprehensive NO release profile for these materials, which will help to determine which formulations are most promising for specific therapeutic applications. This study highlights the importance of using appropriate NO quantification tools to provide accurate reports.