2026-06-22 コペンハーゲン大学（UCPH）
＜関連情報＞
- https://news.ku.dk/all_news/2026/06/scientists-have-designed-a-clay-that-can-prevent-fruits-and-vegetables-from-rotting-too-quickly/
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666523926000814
機能化スメクタイトにおける層間閉じ込めと細孔表面吸着の分離によるエチレンガス捕捉の調整 Disentangling interlayer confinement and pore surface adsorption in functionalized smectites for tunable ethylene gas capture
K. Kovalchuk, L. Michels, W.P. Gates, M.L. Martins, G.W. Greene, H.N. Bordallo
Applied Surface Science Advances Available online: 25 May 2026
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsadv.2026.101010
Graphical abstract
Abstract
Smectite-based adsorbents are increasingly being studied as sustainable packaging materials for scavenging ethylene, a plant hormone that accelerates fruit ripening. However, the mechanisms governing their uptake and retention remain poorly understood. Here, to tackle this question we systematically investigate ethylene gas-solid interactions in pristine, acid-activated, and choline-functionalized montmorillonites using a complementary combination of structural, gravimetric, and spectroscopic techniques, including inelastic neutron scattering. We experimentally distinguish ethylene populations associated with interlayer confinement, mesopore, and external surface adsorption. We show that chemical functionalization distinctly controls adsorption pathways: acid activation enhances total uptake by generating mesoporous adsorption sites and promoting partial interlayer intercalation, yielding capacities comparable to those of leading smectite-based adsorbents, while choline functionalization promotes preferential confinement and stabilization of guest molecules within the interlayer galleries. Advanced spectroscopic analysis provides molecular-level insight into confinement environments and interaction strengths. We also establish clear structure-property relationships by correlating uptake values derived from independent techniques, linking chemical modification, accessible adsorption domains, and retention behavior. These findings provide general design principles for tuning gas-solid interactions in functionalized layered silicates and highlight their potential as adaptable platforms for sustainable ethylene gas capture and selective adsorption technologies.
