Facile fabrication of nanoscale hierarchical porous zeolitic imidazolate frameworks for enhanced toluene adsorption capacity
Minhui Yang, Chongxiong Duan, Xinjuan Zeng, Jingjing Li, Cuiyin Liu, Longjiao Zeng, Yi Zhang, Kai Wang, Hongxia Xi
Abstract
Abstract The development of a simple and facile synthesis route is a highly desirable but challenging process in the fabrication of nanoscale hierarchical porous zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs). Herein we describe a facile method for rapidly synthesizing hierarchically porous ZIF‐90 nanocrystals (particle sizes of ~ 300 nm) using hydroxyl double salts as intermediates at room temperature. The as‐synthesized ZIF‐90 contained hierarchical porous structures developed using a crystalline interior and a random stack of multiple nanoparticles. Both the morphology and particle size of ZIF‐90 nanocrystals could be tuned by controlling the molar ratio of ICA/Zn 2+ . Note that the as‐synthesized hierarchically porous ZIF‐90 nanocrystals exhibited higher thermal stability compared with the conventional ZIF‐90. Because of the introduction of hierarchical porous structures, the resultant hierarchically porous ZIF‐90 nanocrystals showed enhanced toluene adsorption capacity than those of conventional metal organic frameworks and zeolites.