We report here on the synthesis of a nanocomposite structure produced by growth of metallic aluminum nanostructures within the hollow channels of the metal-organic frameworks, MOF-5(A) and MIL-53(Al). MOF-5(A) was produced by the reaction of zinc nitrate [Zn(NO3)2.6H2O)] under hydrothermal conditions in the presence of terephthalic acid in dimethylformamide. The aluminum structures were grown inside the MOF channels based on catalytic decomposition of molecular alane infused into the porous MOF structure. Transmission electron microscopy of the MOF-5(A) composite shows the nanocomposite structure to have 20 nm particles trapped within the MOF crystal lattice. Powder X-ray diffraction of the MOF-5(A) shows the presence of Al(s), Zn(s), and AlZn(s) phases, indicating reaction of the incipient Al NPs with the Zn2+ within the MOF lattice via a redox process. The resulting nanocomposite is air stable. Nanoparticle product comparisons between the MOF-5(A) and MIL-53(Al) will be presented. The reactive metal within the MOF composite structures resists oxidation in air for periods of months as demonstrated by powder x-ray diffraction.

Synthesis of metallic aluminum nanostructures within the channels of a metal organic framework (Zn-MOF)

ACS Fall 2021

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