The research team led by Prof. YANG Weishen in Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has attracted wide attentions on the study of metal-organic framework (MOF) membranes. And they were invited to publish a “progress report” which is entitled as “Microstructural Engineering and Architectural Design of Metal-Organic Framework Membranes” in Advanced Materials in June, 2017.
　　MOFs, which are a new class of molecular sieve materials, present the properties of permanent porosity and adjustability in both architecture and functionality.
　　Separation technology based on pure MOF membranes and mixed-phase MOF composite membranes has been successfully applied in gas separation and liquid refinery. Compared with traditional cryogenic distillation and chemical absorption process, MOFs have a higher efficiency and a lower energy consumption.
　　However, in order to reach an economically attractive region, it’s necessary to further improve the separation performance of MOF membranes, including permeability and selectivity.
　　Scientists from the research team led by Prof. YANG Weishen in DICP have been doing lots of work on MOFs and have attracted substantial attentions all over the world. In June, they were invited to publish a review on the topic of MOF membranes.
　　They reviewed the microstructural engineering of MOF membranes at mesoscopic levels, including orientation manipulation, static/dynamic interfacial synthesis, and mixed-phase reinforce. Moreover, they summarized the architectural design of MOF membranes at microscopic levels such as aperture size adjustment, cage modification and functional group post-decoration. Such modifications can be contributed to improve the performance of MOF membranes.
　　Last but not the least, they discussed the future opportunities of 2D ultrathin MOF membranes with precise molecular sieving properties and superb permeability.
　　Microstructural Engineering and Architectural Design of Metal–Organic Framework Membranes (Image by BAN Yujie)
　　This work is financially supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities. (Text and Image by BAN Yujie)
　　Dr. WANG Yongjin
　　Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences,
　　457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116023, China,
　　Tel: 86-411-84374221
　　E-mail: wangyj@dicp.ac.cn

　　The research team led by Prof. YANG Weishen in Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has attracted wide attentions on the study of metal-organic framework (MOF) membranes. And they were invited to publish a “progress report” which is entitled as “Microstructural Engineering and Architectural Design of Metal-Organic Framework Membranes” in Advanced Materials in June, 2017.
　　MOFs, which are a new class of molecular sieve materials, present the properties of permanent porosity and adjustability in both architecture and functionality.
　　Separation technology based on pure MOF membranes and mixed-phase MOF composite membranes has been successfully applied in gas separation and liquid refinery. Compared with traditional cryogenic distillation and chemical absorption process, MOFs have a higher efficiency and a lower energy consumption.
　　However, in order to reach an economically attractive region, it’s necessary to further improve the separation performance of MOF membranes, including permeability and selectivity.
　　Scientists from the research team led by Prof. YANG Weishen in DICP have been doing lots of work on MOFs and have attracted substantial attentions all over the world. In June, they were invited to publish a review on the topic of MOF membranes.
　　They reviewed the microstructural engineering of MOF membranes at mesoscopic levels, including orientation manipulation, static/dynamic interfacial synthesis, and mixed-phase reinforce. Moreover, they summarized the architectural design of MOF membranes at microscopic levels such as aperture size adjustment, cage modification and functional group post-decoration. Such modifications can be contributed to improve the performance of MOF membranes.
　　Last but not the least, they discussed the future opportunities of 2D ultrathin MOF membranes with precise molecular sieving properties and superb permeability.
　　Microstructural Engineering and Architectural Design of Metal–Organic Framework Membranes (Image by BAN Yujie)
　　This work is financially supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities. (Text and Image by BAN Yujie)
　　Dr. WANG Yongjin
　　Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences,
　　457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116023, China,
　　Tel: 86-411-84374221
　　E-mail: wangyj@dicp.ac.cn

　　The closing meeting of China/United Kingdom(UK) cooperation project of "Lower Cost and Longer Life Flow Batteries for Grid Scale Energy Storage" was held on June 23, 2017 in University College London. This project was financed by National Natural Science Foundation of China and Engineering and Science Research Council of UK.
　　15 participants who are from Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Imperial College London (ICL) and University College London (UCL) attended the closing meeting. The project leader of China and UK is Prof. ZHANG Huamin of DICP and Prof. Nigel Brandon of ICL, respectively.
　　During the closing meeting, scientists introuduced the research and development of flow battery technology in China and UK. Members from UK fully affirmed the domestic and international leading position of DICP on flow battery technology, and they highly praise the significant progress of DICP on the fundamental research and industrial application of flow battery technology. 
　　After the meeting, both sides expressed the desire to enhance the further cooperation between China and UK by organizing some international meetings and publishing some high level review papers on flow battery technology cooperately. They are looking forward to promoting the deep communication and cooperation internationally.
　　The China/UK cooperation project was approved on 2013 with a duration of 3 years. During this period, an academic communication meeting was held every year.(Text and image by ZHENG Qiong)
　　

　　The closing meeting of China/United Kingdom(UK) cooperation project of "Lower Cost and Longer Life Flow Batteries for Grid Scale Energy Storage" was held on June 23, 2017 in University College London. This project was financed by National Natural Science Foundation of China and Engineering and Science Research Council of UK.
　　15 participants who are from Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Imperial College London (ICL) and University College London (UCL) attended the closing meeting. The project leader of China and UK is Prof. ZHANG Huamin of DICP and Prof. Nigel Brandon of ICL, respectively.
　　During the closing meeting, scientists introuduced the research and development of flow battery technology in China and UK. Members from UK fully affirmed the domestic and international leading position of DICP on flow battery technology, and they highly praise the significant progress of DICP on the fundamental research and industrial application of flow battery technology. 
　　After the meeting, both sides expressed the desire to enhance the further cooperation between China and UK by organizing some international meetings and publishing some high level review papers on flow battery technology cooperately. They are looking forward to promoting the deep communication and cooperation internationally.
　　The China/UK cooperation project was approved on 2013 with a duration of 3 years. During this period, an academic communication meeting was held every year.(Text and image by ZHENG Qiong)
　　

　　With the development of economy, the demand of basic olefins materials such as ethylene and propylene gradually increases in China. And due to the special Chinese energy structure which is lacking of petroleum and rich of coal relatively. It is necessary to produce more olefins products from coal instead of petroleum.
　　The research team led by Prof. LIU Zhongmin and Prof. WEI Yingxu in Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) reveals the fundamental mechanism of Dalian methanol to olefins (DMTO) process. This new finding was published as “Hot Paper” in Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. entitled as “Direct mechanism of the first carbon-carbon bond formation in the methanol-to-hydrocarbons process.” (DOI: 10.1002/anie.201703902). And it has been selected as “Inside Back Cover” paper.
　　In order to parallel to the development of DMTO process, scientists in DICP have been always investigating the methanol conversion mechanism. It’s because the mechanism understanding can enhance the performance of catalyst, optimize the reaction conditions, and develop new catalysts with high selectivity.
　　Scientists have detected the initial formation of ethene product during the MTO reaction. And they have captured surface methoxy species (SMS) and trimethyloxonium (TMO) on the catalyst surface by solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (ssNMR) spectroscopy.
　　More importantly, some surface methyleneoxy-analogue species, which were originated from activated DME, were observed directly by in situ ssNMR spectroscopy for the first time. They were recognized to be the most crucial intermediate for the formation of the first C-C bond. New insights into the formation of the first C-C bond are provided based on both experimental evidence and theoretical calculations. Therefore, the above results suggested SMS/TMO-mediated DME/methanol activation over an acid zeolite catalyst. And they proved a direct fundamental mechanism of DMTO process.
　　This new finding linked the direct mechanism of the initial methanol conversion and the indirect mechanism of the efficient methanol conversion. It has established a complete reaction course for methanol conversion over acid zeolite catalysts and enriched the fundamental theory of C1 catalytic chemistry.
　　Previously, scientists from DICP directly observed two important intermediates, including methylbenzenium cations and methylcyclopentenyl cations over silicoaluminophosphate (SAPO) zeolites during MTO reaction. This finding substantially proved the mechanism of “hydrocarbon pool” (HCP). Moreover, they also confirmed two catalytic cycles which include paring mechanism and side-chain methylation mechanism ( J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2012, 134 (2), 836–839; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2013, 52(44), 11564-11568).
　　The DMTO process was a creative technology developed by DICP of CAS researchers in the last decade for the conversion of MTO. Coal is used as the main raw materials in this process. So far, DMTO process has achieved totally 23 licenses approved with a total ole？ns production capacity of 13.13 Mt/a. And 12 commercial DMTO units have been put into stream with ole？ns production capacity of 6.46 Mt/a.
　　The mechanism for the first C-C bond formation in methanol to hydrocarbon reaction （Image by WU Xinqiang）
　　This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China, Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, iChEM and the Youth Innovation Promotion Association of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. (Text by XU Shutao and WU Xinqiang, Image by WU Xinqiang)
　　Dr. WANG Yongjin
　　Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences,
　　457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116023, China,
　　Tel: 86-411-84374221
　　E-mail: wangyj@dicp.ac.cn

　　With the development of economy, the demand of basic olefins materials such as ethylene and propylene gradually increases in China. And due to the special Chinese energy structure which is lacking of petroleum and rich of coal relatively. It is necessary to produce more olefins products from coal instead of petroleum.
　　The research team led by Prof. LIU Zhongmin and Prof. WEI Yingxu in Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) reveals the fundamental mechanism of Dalian methanol to olefins (DMTO) process. This new finding was published as “Hot Paper” in Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. entitled as “Direct mechanism of the first carbon-carbon bond formation in the methanol-to-hydrocarbons process.” (DOI: 10.1002/anie.201703902). And it has been selected as “Inside Back Cover” paper.
　　In order to parallel to the development of DMTO process, scientists in DICP have been always investigating the methanol conversion mechanism. It’s because the mechanism understanding can enhance the performance of catalyst, optimize the reaction conditions, and develop new catalysts with high selectivity.
　　Scientists have detected the initial formation of ethene product during the MTO reaction. And they have captured surface methoxy species (SMS) and trimethyloxonium (TMO) on the catalyst surface by solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (ssNMR) spectroscopy.
　　More importantly, some surface methyleneoxy-analogue species, which were originated from activated DME, were observed directly by in situ ssNMR spectroscopy for the first time. They were recognized to be the most crucial intermediate for the formation of the first C-C bond. New insights into the formation of the first C-C bond are provided based on both experimental evidence and theoretical calculations. Therefore, the above results suggested SMS/TMO-mediated DME/methanol activation over an acid zeolite catalyst. And they proved a direct fundamental mechanism of DMTO process.
　　This new finding linked the direct mechanism of the initial methanol conversion and the indirect mechanism of the efficient methanol conversion. It has established a complete reaction course for methanol conversion over acid zeolite catalysts and enriched the fundamental theory of C1 catalytic chemistry.
　　Previously, scientists from DICP directly observed two important intermediates, including methylbenzenium cations and methylcyclopentenyl cations over silicoaluminophosphate (SAPO) zeolites during MTO reaction. This finding substantially proved the mechanism of “hydrocarbon pool” (HCP). Moreover, they also confirmed two catalytic cycles which include paring mechanism and side-chain methylation mechanism ( J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2012, 134 (2), 836–839; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2013, 52(44), 11564-11568).
　　The DMTO process was a creative technology developed by DICP of CAS researchers in the last decade for the conversion of MTO. Coal is used as the main raw materials in this process. So far, DMTO process has achieved totally 23 licenses approved with a total ole？ns production capacity of 13.13 Mt/a. And 12 commercial DMTO units have been put into stream with ole？ns production capacity of 6.46 Mt/a.
　　The mechanism for the first C-C bond formation in methanol to hydrocarbon reaction （Image by WU Xinqiang）
　　This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China, Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, iChEM and the Youth Innovation Promotion Association of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. (Text by XU Shutao and WU Xinqiang, Image by WU Xinqiang)
　　Dr. WANG Yongjin
　　Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences,
　　457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116023, China,
　　Tel: 86-411-84374221
　　E-mail: wangyj@dicp.ac.cn