Rapid solvothermal synthesis of an isoreticular metal–organic framework with permanent porosity for hydrogen storage

Existing methods for the preparation of metal–organic frameworks are generally very time-consuming or they yield low surface area materials. The aim of this research was to develop a rapid inexpensive solvothermal method for producing high quality IRMOF-8 (isoreticular metal–organic framework) crystals. IRMOF-8 crystals could be produced in 2–4 h, which is a significant improvement over traditional solvothermal convective oven syntheses. The effect of temperature on the pore volume, pore size, surface area and hydrogen storage capacity of convective oven synthesized IRMOF-8 (C-IRMOF-8) and the rapid solvothermal synthesized IRMOF-8 (RS-IRMOF-8) was also investigated. The optimum synthesis temperatures were 120 °C and 155 °C for C-IRMOF-8 and RS-IRMOF-8, respectively. BET analysis showed that the C-IRMOF-8 and RS-IRMOF-8 samples had pore volumes of 0.603 cm3/g STP and 0.693 cm3/g STP with SSA of 1694 and 1801 m2/g, respectively at the optimum temperatures. The products of this rapid synthesis route had greater surface areas and comparable hydrogen storage capacities to those prepared by traditional solvothermal convective oven syntheses.

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► IRMOF-8 prepared by rapid solvothermal synthesis has higher surface area.
► This environmentally friendly method required no exchange solvent.
► IRMOF-8 prepared by rapid method has greater hydrogen storage capacity.
► IRMOF-8 prepared by rapid solvothermal synthesis has larger pore volume.