Ammonia Adsorption and Co-adsorption with Water in HKUST-1: Spectroscopic Evidence for Cooperative Interactions

Ammonia interactions and competition with water at the interface of nanoporous metal organic framework thin films of HKUST-1 (Cu(3)Btc(2), Btc = 1,3,5-benzenedicarboxylate) are investigated with ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (APXPS). In the absence of water, ammonia adsorption at the Cu2+ metal center weakens the metal linker bond of the framework. In the presence of water, due to the higher binding energy (adsorption strength) of ammonia compared to water, ammonia replaces water at the unsaturated Cu2+ metal centers. The water molecules remaining in the pores are stabilized by hydrogen bonding to ammonia. Hydrogen bonding between the water and ammonia strengthens the metal ammonia interaction due to cooperative interactions. Cooperative interactions result in a reduction in the metal center oxidation state facilitating linker replacement by other species explaining the previously reported structure degradation.