Kinetic barriers and microscopic mechanisms of noble gas adsorption by nanoporous γ-Mg(BH${}_4$)${}_2$ obtained by means of sub-second X-ray diffraction

Gas adsorption by porous frameworks sometimes results in structure ''breathing'', ''pores opening/closing'', ''negative gas adsorption'', and other phenomena. Time-dependent diffraction can address both kinetics of the guest uptake and structural response of the host framework. Using sub-second in situ powder X-ray diffraction, three intracrystalline diffusion scenarios have been evaluated from the isothermal kinetics of Ar, Kr, and Xe adsorption by nanoporous γ-Mg(BH${}_4$)${}_2$. These scenarios are dictated by two possible simultaneous transport mechanisms: diffusion through the intra- (i) and interchannel apertures (ii) of γ-Mg(BH${}_4$)${}_2$ crystal structure. The contribution of (i) and (ii) changes depending on the kinetic diameter of the noble gas molecule and temperature regime. The lowest single activation barrier for the smallest Ar suggests equal diffusion of the atoms trough both pathways. Contrary, for the medium sized Kr we resolve the contributions of two parallel transport mechanisms, which tentatively can be attributed to the smaller barrier of the migration paths via the channel like pores and the higher barrier for the diffusion via narrow aperture between these channels. The largest Xe atoms diffuse only along 1D channels and show the highest single activation barrier. (© 2020 Wiley‐VCH GmbH)