Metal−organic frameworks (MOFs) are an emerging class of porous materials constructed from metal-containing nodes and organic linkers. Due to the high surface area, permanent porosity, and high tunability in both structures and functions, MOFs are becoming one of the favorable platforms in the fields of adsorption, detection/sensing, catalysis, etc. For water treatment, there is increasing attention to applying MOFs as adsorbents and catalysts to remove a wide range of pollutants. In this specific field, some key factors should be taken into account. Firstly, water stability will be the prerequisite for successful application. We systematically studied the factors that affect the water stability of MOFs and successfully synthesized highly water-stable MOFs by selection of metal and linkers. We also developed post-synthetic metathesis methods to improve robustness of MOFs by exchanging the metal species. Secondly, the pore size of MOFs is important for pollutants removal, especially for organic pollutants, which are usually appeared as large molecules. We have synthesized a series of MOFs with mesopores or hierarchical pores by different approaches such as i) topological design, ii) thermodynamically controlled synthesis, and iii) linker labilization. With these approaches, water stable MOFs with pore size up to 20 nanometers can be synthesized, which is promising for adsorption of large molecules or even biomolecules. Last but not least, taking advantage of high porosity and easy functionalization of linkers, multifunctional MOFs can be synthesized to realize adsorption-detection or adsorption-decomposition in a single material. In this talk, we will show some of our results in adsorption and detection of antibiotics, dichromates, and organic explosives in water. MOFs provide a new opportunity for water treatment, especially on trace amount of hazardous pollutants, which are difficult to be removed by traditional approaches.

Water stable metal−organic frameworks for the detection and removal of pollutants

256th National Meeting (2018)

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