A cartridge comprising layers of adsorbent sheet is described. The cartridge includes an indicator that characterizes the consumption state of the adsorbent within the cartridge. The indicator is applied in a way such that discrete areas of indicator are visible. These discontinuous areas of indicator may be applied to the outside surface of the cartridge. Alternatively, the discontinuous areas may be formed by cutting windows in the outermost layer of the cartridge and either coating indicator on the layer beneath the window, placing an indicator layer between the window and the layer beneath it or filling the window with an indicating plug of material so that the indicator is visible from the outside of the cartridge. The indicator layer and indicator plug embodiments allow the use of any indicator with any adsorbent.

A cartridge comprising layers of adsorbent sheet is described. The cartridge includes an indicator that characterizes the consumption state of the adsorbent within the cartridge. The indicator is applied in a way such that discrete areas of indicator are visible. These discontinuous areas of indicator may be applied to the outside surface of the cartridge. Alternatively, the discontinuous areas may be formed by cutting windows in the outermost layer of the cartridge and either coating indicator on the layer beneath the window, placing an indicator layer between the window and the layer beneath it or filling the window with an indicating plug of material so that the indicator is visible from the outside of the cartridge. The indicator layer and indicator plug embodiments allow the use of any indicator with any adsorbent.

An organic compound, a three-dimensional organic structure formed by using the organic compound, a separation sieve and an optical layer having the organic structure, and an optical device having the optical layer as an optical amplification layer are provided. The organic structure includes a plurality of organic molecules self-assembled by non-covalent bonding. Each of the unit organic molecules has an aromatic ring, a first pair of substituents being connected to immediately adjacent positions of substitutable positions of the aromatic ring, and a second pair of substituents being connected to immediately adjacent positions of remaining substitutable positions of the aromatic ring. The unit organic molecules are self-assembled by van der Waals interaction, London dispersion interaction or hydrogen bonding between the first and the second pairs of the substituents and by pi-pi interactions between the aromatic rings.

An organic compound, a three-dimensional organic structure formed by using the organic compound, a separation sieve and an optical layer having the organic structure, and an optical device having the optical layer as an optical amplification layer are provided. The organic structure includes a plurality of organic molecules self-assembled by non-covalent bonding. Each of the unit organic molecules has an aromatic ring, a first pair of substituents being connected to immediately adjacent positions of substitutable positions of the aromatic ring, and a second pair of substituents being connected to immediately adjacent positions of remaining substitutable positions of the aromatic ring. The unit organic molecules are self-assembled by van der Waals interaction, London dispersion interaction or hydrogen bonding between the first and the second pairs of the substituents and by pi-pi interactions between the aromatic rings.

Compositions and methods for adsorption of a species (e.g., ammonia, water, a halogen) comprising metal organic frameworks (MOFs) are generally provided. In some embodiments, a MOF comprises a plurality of metal ions, each coordinated with at least one ligand comprising at least two unsaturated N-heterocyclic aromatic groups arranged about an organic core.

Composite particles contain a natural stone or aggregate core and a coating of two or more sorbent layers collectively containing at least two distinct kinds of sorbent materials effective for sorbing two distinct contaminants. One or both sorbent layers may be mixed with a water-absorbent, swellable clay that, upon contact with water, causes spalling or disintegration of the coating layer to release the sorptive material into a body of water such as a pond, ditch, stream, or riverbed. Additional swellable or protective layers may also be present. The composite particles are deployed into a pond, ditch, river, or streambed where the core of natural stone remains in the riverbed. The sorptive materials of the two different sorbent layers sorb and fix a wide range of contaminants, including both the heavy and light-weight hydrocarbons, from the water, and settle as a fine sediment. The sediment with sorbed contaminants is then removed by means such as hydraulic collectors or dredging.

Compounds are described which include polyvalent ligands linked to a cyclodextrin scaffold which exhibit strong binding affinities for lanthanides and favorable characteristics with respect to altering the relaxation time of coordinated water molecules. The compounds are useful as contrast agents in applications such as magnetic resonance imaging. The polyvalent ligands are also useful in applications requiring chelation of metal ions in other applications such as water treatment, sequestration of metal ions and treatment of diseases or conditions caused by exposure to toxic or radioactive metal ions.

Metal-organic frameworks for capturing one or more of SO.sub.2, CO.sub.2, and H.sub.2O are disclosed herein. Non-limiting examples of metal-organic frameworks include NbOFFIVE-1-Ni and AlFFIVE-1-Ni, among others. The metal-organic frameworks can be used in applications for removing and/or sensing one or more of SO.sub.2, CO.sub.2, and H.sub.2O from a fluid composition or an environment, either of which can proceed under dry or humid conditions and/or at room temperature.

Methods of synthesizing crystalline metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) comprising polytopic organic linkers and cations, where each linker is connected to two or more cations, are provided. In the disclosed methods, the linkers are reacted with a compound of formula M.sub.nX.sub.m, where M is cationic Be, Mg, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ru, Rh, Pd, Cd, or Hf, X is anionic, n and m are integers. The reacting is buffered by a buffer devoid of metal coordinating functionality when the pKa of the anion is below a threshold related to the lowest pKa of the linker. The reacting is optionally not buffered when the pKa of the anion is at or above this threshold. The disclosed methods lead to product phase MOF in which crystal growth is controlled leading to control over molecular diffusion.

Disclosed herein is a method of making a porous molecular structure from a solution comprising an insoluble metal containing material and a ligand-providing material. In some embodiments, the porous molecular structure can be a Metal-Organic Framework (MOF). Ionic metal salts are the most common type of metal source for MOF production, but dissolution of metal salts complicates solvent recycling and creates corrosion and oxidation issues through evolved nitrate and chloride anions. Elucidating information that leads toward more efficient production of these versatile nanomaterials, while extending the knowledge base of how MOFs form during reaction, is critical to advancing MOF materials into large-scale use. Disclosed herein are improved methods for controlled synthesis of porous molecular structures such as MOFs comprising a solution-based synthesis with insoluble metallic precursor.