A Modulated Hydrothermal (MHT) Approach for the Facile Synthesis of UiO-66-Type MOFs

Developing a general and economically viable approach for the large-scale synthesis of water-stable metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with repeatable quality remains the key step for their massive production and commercialization. We herein report a green (aqueous solutions), mild (100 °C, 1 atm), and scalable (can be up to kilograms) modulated hydrothermal (MHT) synthesis of UiO-66, an iconic MOF that has been widely studied recently for its high water stability. More importantly, the MHT synthetic approach can be applied to synthesize other water-stable MOFs with structures identical to UiO-66, such as UiO-66-(F)4, UiO-66-(OCH2CH3)2, and UiO-66-(COOH)4, which cannot be obtained via the traditional solvothermal method. Their performance in postcombustion CO2 capture has also been evaluated. Our MHT approach has clearly depicted a roadmap for the facile synthesis of zirconium-based water stable MOFs to facilitate their massive production and commercialization.