Modulation of the Thermochemical Stability and Adsorptive Properties of MOF-808 by the Selection of Non-structural Ligands

Abstract

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have been heavily researched due to their porous and crystalline nature. Because of this, MOFs are enticing materials for fields as diverse as gas separation and purification, water harvesting, and heterogeneous catalysis. Within most potential applications, it is critical for the material to remain unchanged when operating over prolonged periods and/or at elevated temperatures. Therefore, thermal stability is crucial in order to utilize MOFs industrially. In this article, we present a method to thermally stabilize MOF-808 by employing post-synthetic functionalization to incorporate benzoate moieties into its framework. We further describe how this incorporation changes the MOFs’ physicochemical properties (i.e., surface area, gas-adsorptive behavior, and crystallographic structure). The materials described herein are well characterized and provide novel options for the design of stable catalysts and adsorbents for future technologies.