Exact Stoichiometry of CexZr6–x Cornerstones in Mixed-Metal UiO-66 Metal–Organic Frameworks Revealed by Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure Spectroscopy

Bimetallic Ce/Zr-UiO-66 metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) proved to be promising materials for various catalytic redox applications, representing, together with other bimetallic MOFs, a new generation of porous structures. However, no direct proof for the presence of both metals in a single cornerstone of UiO-type MOFs was reported so far. Employing element-selective X-ray absorption spectroscopy techniques herein, we demonstrate, for the first time, that our synthesis route allows obtaining Ce/Zr-UiO-66 MOFs with desired Ce content and bimetallic CeZr5 cornerstones. Performing multiple-edge extended X-ray absorption fine structure analysis, we determine the exact stoichiometry of the cornerstones, which explains the dependence of thermal and chemical stability of the materials on Ce content.