IGAsorp Featured in New Research on COFs for Water Sorption

A new paper published in Advanced Functional Materials by researchers from the National University of Singapore and the University of Liverpool reports on the design of covalent organic frameworks (COFs) with enhanced stability for applications related to their water vapor sorption properties. These materials are being explored for atmospheric water harvesting, dehumidification, and heat management, where both water uptake capacity and stability over many cycles operation are critical.

The study highlights how different pore structures and linkages affect the physical stability of COFs in water vapor, with intralayer hydrogen bonding (IHB) shown to dramatically improve performance. Notably, keto-enamine-linked COFs maintained their crystallinity and porosity under repeated cycling, outperforming imine-linked COFs.

IGAsorp Measurements

To evaluate these properties, the researchers used a Hiden Isochema IGAsorp dynamic vapor sorption (DVS) analyzer:

• Water vapor sorption isotherms were collected at 25 °C, revealing distinct uptake profiles depending on pore size and functional groups.
• Cycling stability tests were performed under humidified airflow, with adsorption at 25 °C and desorption at 45–60 °C. The IGAsorp enabled rigorous stability assessment under realistic temperature swing adsorption (TSA) conditions.

Figure 1 – Water vapor sorption isotherms and cycling stability tests for various COFs measured using the Hiden Isochema IGAsorp. The TpOMe-BpyD COF shows excellent water uptake and stability over multiple adsorption–desorption cycles. This figure is reproduced from Zhao, W. et al., Advanced Functional Materials (2025), “Covalent Organic Frameworks for Water Sorption: The Importance of Framework Physical Stability,” under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence.

Results showed that TpOMe-BpyD COF retained exceptional stability, maintaining porosity and water uptake capacity over 200 adsorption–desorption cycles.

“All water-vapor sorption experiments were conducted with the Hiden Isochema IGAsorp; its exceptional stability proved indispensable for obtaining reliable data.”
— Dr. Wei Zhao, Research Fellow, National University of Singapore

Why This Matters

This research demonstrates the importance of DVS analysis in understanding next-generation adsorbent materials. The IGAsorp’s ability to deliver precise, repeatable humidity and temperature control allowed the team to link structural chemistry with long-term water sorption stability.

By enabling these insights, the IGAsorp supports not only fundamental research into COFs, but also the development of practical systems for sustainable water harvesting and energy-efficient dehumidification.

Reference:
Zhao, W. et al. (2025). Covalent Organic Frameworks for Water Sorption: The Importance of Framework Physical Stability. Advanced Functional Materials. https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202514901