Single crystal structure, vibrational spectroscopy, gas sorption and antimicrobial properties of a new inorganic acidic diphosphates material (NH₄)₂Mg(H₂P₂O₇)₂•2H₂O

We report on the successful synthesis of diammonium magnesium dihydrogendiphosphate (V) dihydrate compound (NH₄)₂Mg(H₂P₂O₇)₂•2H₂O using a wet chemical route. Single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis and micro Raman spectroscopy are employed to characterize the compound. We demonstrate, using a multidisciplinary approach, that this compound is ideal for carbon dioxide (CO₂) capture in addition to other anthropogenic gasses. We show here -from both an experimental as well as from a density functional theory (DFT) calculations routes- the potential for adopting this compound into domestic air-conditioning units (ACUs). From these experiments, the resistance to bacterial growth is also investigated, which is critical for the adoption of this compound in ACUs. Our compound exhibits a higher methane (CH₄) sorptivity as compared to CO₂ at 25 °C and 45 °C under pressures up to 50 bars. Furthermore, DFT electronic structure calculations are used to compute the main structural and electronic properties of the compound, taking into consideration the characteristics of the identified pores as a function of the progressive CO₂ vs. CH₄ loadings. Finally, the antibacterial assay reveals a strong antibacterial activity against the tested Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, with a large zone of inhibition against the tested E. Coli, S. Aureus and K. Pneumonia.