PANI@UiO-66 and PANI@UiO-66-NH2 Polymer-MOF Hybrid Composites as Tunable Semiconducting Materials

Abstract This investigation explores optimum synthetic conditions for novel polymer-metal organic framework hybrid composites composed of Zr-terephthalate-based MOF UiO-66 and conductive polyaniline (PANI) nanofibers in an effort to optimize conductivity while minimizing MOF structural deformation. Successful syntheses of self-assembled PANI nanofibers in PANI@UiO-66 and PANI@UiO-66-NH2 composites were confirmed using scanning electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and powder X-ray diffraction. The polymer-MOF composites show different bonding synergies to the PANI nanofibers depending on the organic linker used. Electronic properties of the post-synthetically modified PANI@UiO-66 and PANI@UiO-66-NH2 were investigated using UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. Sheet resistivity of the self-assembled polymer-MOF composites was determined under an inert atmosphere at room temperature using four-point probe measurements to confirm tunable semiconductivity ranging from 40 to 2 mS/sq. Furthermore, the effects of aniline oxidation on the crystallinity and coordination of UiO-66 and UiO-66-NH2 were determined through analysis of these results.