How the guest molecules in nanoporous Zn(II) metal-organic framework can prevent agglomeration of ZnO nanoparticles

The host and the apohost framework of [Zn-2(BDC)(2)(H2O)(2)center dot(DMF)(2)](n) (1 center dot 2H(2)O center dot 2DMF), (BDC2- =benzene-1,4-dicarboxylate and DMF=N,N-Dimethylformamide), were synthesized and subsequently used for preparation of ZnO nanomaterials. With calcination of the host framework of 1 center dot 2H(2)O center dot 2DMF, ZnO nanoparticles were obtained. By the same process on the apohost framework of 1, agglomerated nanoparticles of ZnO were formed. These nano-structures were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). These results indicate that with removal of the guest DMF and coordinated H2O molecules from the one-dimensional channels of 1 center dot 2H(2)O center dot 2DMF, the tendency of nanoparticles to agglomerate increases and the role of this MOF in preparation of ZnO nanoparticles from this precursor was reduced. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.