Breakthrough in Helium Processing Using Metal–Organic Polymers

Researchers from the Institute of Catalysis of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences screened over 10,000 metal–organic coordination polymers to enhance helium production from natural gas. They identified key structural descriptors—like pore size, cavity diameter, surface area, pore volume, density, and porosity—that determine the efficiency of these polymers in gas separation processes. The study highlighted the effectiveness of using nitrogen and methane selective membranes, which retain helium while allowing other gases to pass, as opposed to focusing solely on helium selectivity. This approach promises substantial improvements in extracting helium, which is typically sourced from natural gas through various complex methods.

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