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Description
Metal-organic frameworks are crystalline structures composed of metal ions connected by organic linkers. Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8 (ZIF-8) is composed of zinc ions connected by 2-methylimidazole linkers. Typically, ZIF-8 is synthesized in methanol, but due to the cost, as well as potential environmental and health impacts of methanol, water is being studied as a solvent for the preparation of ZIF-8. In this work, ZIF-8 was synthesized in aqueous solutions at molar ratios of 8, 16, and 60 by mixing solutions of 2-methylimidazole and zinc nitrate hexahydrate in water. For comparison, it was also synthesized in methanol solutions at molar ratios of 8, 16, and 32 moles of 2-methylimidazole to zinc by mixing solutions of 2-methylimidazole and zinc nitrate hexahydrate in methanol. The resulting samples were analyzed using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Powder X-ray Diffraction (pXRD). It was observed that both the choice of solvent used and the molar ratio of reactants affected the composition and structure of the product. While the products synthesized in methanol and the molar ratio 60 product were consistent with literature values for ZIF-8 for both FTIR and pXRD, the 8 and 16 molar ratio products synthesized in aqueous solutions were not consistent with expected values. This indicates that using these methods, ZIF-8 was not synthesized in aqueous solutions at lower molar ratios.
Program
Research and Creative Experience for Undergraduates (RCEU)
Department
Chemistry
College Name
College of Science
Advisor/Mentor
Jie Ling
Publication Date
9-1-2023
Document Type
Poster
Keywords
metal-organic frameworks, MOF, zeolitic imidazolate framework-8, ZIF-8, ZIF-8 synthesis
Recommended Citation
Jones, Jackson, "Methanol and Aqueous Synthesis of ZIF-8 Metal-Organic Framework" (2023). Summer Community of Scholars Posters (RCEU and HCR Combined Programs). 426.
https://louis.uah.edu/rceu-hcr/426