Shedding synchrotron light on MOF-74 formation in aqueous phase

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), a versatile class of highly porous crystalline materials, are firmly established as promising performers for applications in catalysis, separations, sensing and more. One of the major challenges in the MOF field is development of scalable, reliable and green synthetic methods to produce high quality MOF materials. Recently reported green ambient temperature syntheses of MOFs in water from metal and ligand salts stand out in their simplicity, rapid nature and industrial attractiveness. However, these methods work only for some MOFs, questioning their broad applicability. In this proposal, we aim to investigate the underlying mechanisms of formation of MOF-74 family materials in aqueous phase in order to shed light on systems’ speciation and processes of nucleation and growth, with larger goals of understanding fundamentals of MOF growth in such systems and developing reliable rapid and green synthetic procedures for numerous MOF families.

金属有机框架（metal-organic frameworks, MOFs）是一类多功能高孔隙率结晶材料，已被广泛证实为催化、分离、传感等众多应用领域中极具潜力的优质候选材料。MOF领域的核心挑战之一，便是开发可规模化、可靠且绿色的合成方法以制备高品质的MOF材料。近期报道的以金属盐与配体盐为原料、在水相中实现MOF常温绿色合成的方法，凭借其操作简便、反应快速且工业应用价值突出的特点脱颖而出。但此类方法仅适用于部分MOF材料，其普适性因此受到了质疑。本研究计划旨在探究MOF-74家族材料在水相体系中的形成机理，以阐明该体系中的物种形态分布与成核生长过程；其远期核心目标在于揭示此类体系中MOF生长的基本原理，并开发适用于众多MOF家族的可靠、快速且绿色的合成工艺。