Molecular Separations: New artificial sieve traps molecules

Just as a fishing net can catch big fish while letting small ones through, natural, porous minerals called zeolites can ensnare certain molecules while letting others swim free. Now, researchers have created a metal-laced organic solid that they say mimics zeolites and could outperform them for certain industrial and laboratory uses.

MOLECULE TRAP. A porous network of porphyrin molecules made of carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, and two types of cobalt.