Molekyylisiivilä

Molekyylisiivilä is a Finnish term that translates to "molecular sieve" in English. Molecular sieves are materials that have a very small pore size, allowing them to separate molecules based on their size and shape. They are typically crystalline solids with a highly uniform pore structure. The internal structure of molecular sieves consists of a network of interconnected channels and cavities. The size of these pores is on the order of angstroms, which is comparable to the diameter of small molecules.

The separation mechanism relies on the principle that molecules larger than the pore openings cannot enter the sieve's internal structure, while smaller molecules can. This allows for the selective adsorption of smaller molecules onto the surface of the sieve material, or their passage through the material while larger molecules are retained. Common types of molecular sieves include zeolites, activated carbon, and certain metal-organic frameworks (MOFs).

Molecular sieves find widespread applications in various industries. They are extensively used in gas separation and purification processes, such as the removal of water from natural gas or the separation of oxygen from nitrogen in air. They are also employed as catalysts in chemical reactions, where their controlled pore size can influence reaction selectivity. In addition, molecular sieves are utilized in detergents as water softeners and in various analytical techniques for separating and purifying chemical compounds. Their effectiveness in separating molecules based on size and shape makes them indispensable tools in many scientific and industrial fields.