Non-Noble Metal-Doped MOF-808-Zr Nanostructures with Abundant Defects for Toluene Oxidation

Defect creation in metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) is a promising approach to optimize the performance of MOFs for a wide range of potential applications. Because of its excellent stability, large surface area, and pore size, MOF-808 (Zr), an essential member of the family of MOFs, has received increasing attention. Consequently, the development of defective MOF-808-Zr has become a hot topic of research. Here, we synthesized and investigated the oxidative catalytic characteristics of nonprecious metal-doped MOF-808-Zr nanoparticles. X-ray diffraction was combined with analytical and spectroscopic techniques to investigate the characteristics of the MOF material (MOF-808-ZrM, where M = Mn, V, Ce, and Ti). Toluene oxidation in the presence of oxygen was used as a model reaction to investigate its catalytic capabilities. Various tests, including in situ DRIFT, confirmed that the incorporation of exotic metals into MOF-808-Zr nanoparticles increased surface oxygen vacancies and surface imperfections, thereby enhancing the catalytic activity. This article proposes a method to improve the performance of toluene-oxidizing catalysts by doping 808-MOFs with transition metals.