Microfluidics-assisted, time-effective and continuous synthesis of bimetallic ZIF-8/67 under different synthesis conditions.

Bimetallic MOFs offer many advantageous properties rather than monometallic MOFs useful for variety of applications including energy storage and conversion, catalysis, gas separation, sensing, etc. Desired morphology with precise control of crystal size is of utmost importance for specific applications. Microfluidics-incorporated continuous synthesis is demonstrated for bimetallic ZIF-8/67 exhibiting significant nanocrystallinity, porosity and surface area. The microfluidic approach of synthesizing MOF is found very time-efficient in comparison with the conventional techniques. Bimetallic ZIF-8/67 samples were synthesized at different reaction conditions, without adding capping agents and modulators, followed by sophisticated characterization techniques including powder X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]