Jarad Mason

The efficient transport of gas molecules through aqueous fluids is essential for sustaining life, but the low solubility of nearly all gases in water imposes fundamental limits on a range of energy and biomedical technologies that are challenging to overcome. Owing to their high internal surface areas, microporous solids can concentrate gas molecules through adsorption to much higher densities than are present in a bulk gas phase or than can be dissolved within a liquid. The high gas capacities of microporous solids, however, are difficult to translate to aqueous environments because water typically floods pore networks, precluding gas sorption. Here, I will describe the design, synthesis, and characterization of aqueous solutions of microporous nanocrystals—termed “microporous water”—that feature low viscosities, long-term colloidal stability, and permanently dry micropores even when surrounded by liquid water. This combination of properties enables the storage and transport of high densities of gas molecules, including oxygen, within aqueous environments. Implications of this approach for overcoming gas-transfer challenges in electrocatalytic processes, organ preservation, biomanufacturing, and medicine will also be discussed.