One-pot solvothermal synthesis and characterization of UiO-66/HKUST-1 composites

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are promising crystalline materials for various application due to their controllable porous structure and large specific surface area. Their properties can be further improved by several means, such as making a binary MOF comprising of two different MOFs. In this research, UiO-66/HKUST-1 composites have been synthesized by solvothermal method, in which the UiO-66 was prepared at 120 degrees C for 24 h in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) prior to preparation of HKUST-1 at 100 degrees C for 10 h in solvent mixture of DMF, ethanol and water. Amounts of Zr2+ for the synthesis of UiO-66 added during the synthesis process were varied at 5, 10 and 20% toward the amount of Cu2+ for synthesis of HKUST-1. Diffractogram patterns of the obtained composites showed dominant characteristic peaks, similar to that reported for HKUST-1. Furthermore, FTIR spectra of all solids showed absorption bands at the same wavenumbers as reported for HKUST-1. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) images showed the spread of Zr metal evenly on the pore of composites.