LAUSR

The intermolecular forces among volatile organic molecules are usually weaker than water, making them more difficult to absorb. We prepared alkaline earth cations–bridged polyoxometalate nanoclusters subnanometer nanowires through a facile room-temperature reaction. The nanowires can form three-dimensional networks, trapping more than 10 kinds of volatile organic liquids effectively with the mass fraction of nanowires as low as 0.53%. A series of freestanding, elastic, and stable organogels were obtained. We prepared gels that encapsulate organic liquids at the kilogram scale. Through removing solvents in gels by means of distillation and centrifugation, the nanowires can be recycled more than 10 times. This method could be applied to the effective trapping and recovery of organic liquids. Description Trapping and recovering organics Hydrogels consist of cross-linked organic polymers that can swell to hold up to 90% water, making them useful as absorbents and for tissue engineering. Zhang et al. synthesized inorganic nanowires from polyoxometalates, calcium ions, and oleylamine and found that these nanowires readily formed three-dimensional networks. The networks swell when exposed to a range of volatile organic compounds added at fractions even below 1% to form organogels. The gels are stable to physical squeezing without a substantial loss of liquid. However, the liquids can be recovered using distillation and centrifugation, and the nanowires can be reused, making possible the trapping and recovery of organic solvents. —MSL Volatile organic liquids are trapped by a subnanometer nanowire network to form freestanding and elastic organogels.