Synthesis of Ordered Microporous/Macroporous MOF-808 through Modulator-Induced Defect Formation, and Surfactant Self-Assembly Strategies

Ordered materials with interconnected porosity allow the diffusion of molecules within their inner porous structure to access the active sites located in the microporous core. As a follow-up of our work on engineering of MOF-808, in this contribution, we study the synthesis of defective MOF-808 using two different strategies: the use of modulators and the surfactant-assisted synthesis to obtain materials with ordered and interconnected pores. The results of the study indicated that (i) modulators agents led to formation of microporous/mesoporous MOFs through the formation of missing linker defects and (ii) the self-assembly of CTAB surfactant produced ordered microporous/macroporous network which enhanced crystallinity. However, the surface properties of the materials seem to be unaffected by the use of surfactants during synthesis. These results contribute to the development of ordered materials with a broad range of pore size distributions and give rise to new opportunities to extend the applications of MOF-808.