Immaterial, the Cambridge‑based advanced materials company developing densified monolithic metal‑organic frameworks (m‑MOFs) for proven swing‑adsorption systems, has partnered with EnerHy CDT and Cranfield University to accelerate compact, lower‑cost point‑source CO₂ capture for hard‑to‑abate sectors.
Spun out of the University of Cambridge in 2015, Immaterial integrates densified advanced materials into swing‑adsorption systems to reduce equipment footprint and capital expenditure for point‑source CO₂ capture, with a platform that can densify any MOF to unlock applications across hydrogen storage, water harvesting, HVAC and gas separation. In October 2025, the company raised £13.5 million ($18.2 million) in a Series A2 round to accelerate commercialisation of its m‑MOF platform.
The new research partnership will design, make and test novel m‑MOFs gas contactors tailored for industrial gas separations, supported by advanced modelling to guide adsorption performance and process design. Experimental work will include reactor‑level characterisation and performance testing under pressure‑swing and temperature‑swing conditions in the presence of moisture and typical flue‑gas impurities. Activities will be based at Cranfield University and Immaterial’s Cambridge site, led respectively by Dr Ali Nabavi, and Dr Amir Farmahini.
Dr Ali Nabavi, Head of Centre for Energy Decarbonisation and Recovery at Cranfield University, said:
“We are excited to work with Immaterial on deploying their monolithic MOFs. By bringing together materials innovation, rigorous modelling and realistic operating conditions, we aim to deliver capture systems that are compact, energy‑efficient and ready for industrial deployment.”
Owen Garrigan, Immaterial’s CTO said:
“Our m‑MOF platform is engineered to reduce footprint, CAPEX and OPEX for point‑source CO₂ capture. Partnering with Cranfield and EnerHy CDT allows us to co‑optimise the material and the process, so end users get solutions that scale and make financial sense.”
A fully funded research studentship is available as part of this project, with applications now open through EnerHy CDT at Cranfield University, with applications closing on 6 May.