This research uses contrast-matched small-angle neutron scattering to investigate the adsorption behaviour of deuterated methane in a silica aerogel in the pressure range from 0 to 1000 bar. The results reveal a classical reversible two-phase adsorption in the 2.5–50 nm pore size region and no evidence of condensation in the sub-nanometre pores.

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are potentially useful materials for hydrogen and methane storage. However, the weak interactions between the MOF host and gas guest molecules have limited their storage capacities at elevated temperatures. In this issue, Alkordi et al. [IUCrJ (2017), 4, 131–135] illustrate an example of a porous MOF with a suitable pore size and unique pore surface for enhanced interaction with hydrogen molecules, providing the promise of further increasing the gas binding affinity through collaborative interactions.

This article highlights general and modern synthetic strategies to synthesize metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), and discusses their structural diversity and properties with respect to application perspectives.

Adsorption and separation of gases is one of the primary applications of the class of materials known as metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). The role of crystallography in characterizing adsorbed gas molecules and changes in framework structure upon gas sorption is reviewed.

Controlling the MOF pore geometry, size and functionality is of prime importance for the effective and selective gas adsorption. Gas adsorption studies on ultra-microporous MOFs were conducted to gain insight on the pore geometry–sorption energetics relationship.

A specially designed algorithm to predict the structure of complex crystals consisting of well defined molecular units is presented.

Small-angle X-ray scattering models are applied to covalent organic frameworks in order to analyse fractal parameters and structure–scattering relationships.

In order to investigate the viability of carbon dioxide (CO₂) storage in seawater, mol­ecular dynamics techniques were employed to study the dynamic evolution of CO₂ hydrate in saline water.

Coherent imaging in the Bragg geometry of nanoparticles inside an electrochemical cell is presented.

A novel large-volume cell dedicated to high-energy X-ray reflectivity investigations of interfaces under pressure is described.