Synthesis and Characterization of UiO-66-NH2 Metal–Organic Framework Cotton Composite Textiles

This work details the development of a cotton fabric functionalized with UiO-66-NH2 metal–organic framework (MOF). The materials were made by seeding the growth of the MOF on the cotton by first bonding zirconium (Zr) to the surface of the fabric utilizing cyanuric chloride modified with a thiol. After seeding the fabrics with Zr, UiO-66-NH2 was grown on the fabric using a hydrothermal method. Several different routes of attaching Zr to cyanuric chloride were examined. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) data are consistent with UiO-66-NH2, and the fabrics have surface areas between 45 and 125 m2/g depending on the synthetic conditions used to produce the materials. The functionalized cotton reacts with dimethyl 4-nitrophenyl phosphate (DMNP), a chemical nerve agent simulant, as monitored by UV–vis spectroscopy. The results illustrate that MOF–fiber composites can be created using natural fibers, and the resulting composites provide similar chemical warfare agent (CWA) simulant reactivity as observed on composites of MOFs and synthetic polymers..