Unlocking the potential of cyclodextrin crystals

Microporous materials are important for technologies related to catalysis, separation, and environmental protection, but we need more sustainable and cost-effective options. The aim of this project is to create new microporous materials from crystals based on cyclodextrins (CD). These crystals have nanoscale channels that can absorb compounds on par with activated carbon, but at the same time they are more selective. To make them useful, however, the channels need to be stabilized by chemically crosslinking the CDs. This has never been done before, but if we succeed, it could lead to a new family of microporous materials that have the capacity provide new solutions to grand challenges.