Ultrathin 2D metal-organic framework nanosheets prepared via sonication exfoliation of membranes from interfacial growth and exhibition of enhanced catalytic activity by their gold nanocomposites

Songting Wu; Lu Qin; Ke Zhang; Zhong Xin; Shicheng Zhao

doi:10.1039/c9ra00662a

Ultrathin 2D metal-organic framework nanosheets prepared via sonication exfoliation of membranes from interfacial growth and exhibition of enhanced catalytic activity by their gold nanocomposites

RSC Adv. 2019 Mar 25;9(17):9386-9391. doi: 10.1039/c9ra00662a. eCollection 2019 Mar 22.

Authors

Songting Wu¹, Lu Qin¹, Ke Zhang¹, Zhong Xin¹, Shicheng Zhao¹

Affiliation

¹ Shanghai Key Laboratory of Multiphase Materials, School of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology Shanghai 200237 China zhaosc@ecust.edu.cn.

Abstract

Ultrathin two-dimensional (2D) metal-organic framework (MOF) nanosheets were prepared by a facile sonication exfoliation of MOF membranes from interfacial growth. The stacked form of nanosheets constituting the MOF membranes was significantly different to that of its layered MOF counterparts. This led to decreased interaction between nanosheets, so they could exfoliate readily from the MOF membranes. Moreover, Au nanoparticles were introduced to form nanocomposites. Enhanced catalytic activity and long-term stability of these nanocomposites were observed by a model reaction of the reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol. This preparation method could be extended to other 2D MOF nanosheets and their nanocomposites.