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Nano Research 2019, 12(11): 2736-2742 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-019-2507-4
Research Article | Issue | Published: 06 September 2019

High-throughput droplet microfluidic synthesis of hierarchical metal-organic framework nanosheet microcapsules

Show Author's Information Songting Wu1,  Zhong Xin1,  Shicheng Zhao1( ),  Shengtong Sun2( )
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Multiphase Materials Chemical EngineeringSchool of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Meilong RoadShanghai200237China
Center for Advanced Low-dimension Materials, National Engineering Research Center for Dyeing and Finishing of TextilesDonghua University, 2999 North Renmin RoadShanghai201620China
Keywords:
microcapsule, hierarchical structure, metal-organic framework nanosheet, droplet microfluidics
Topics:
Catalyst activityCrystalline materials Gold nanoparticlesMagnetite nanoparticles MagnettiteMicrostructureNanosheetsOrganometallics
Cite this article:
Wu S, Xin Z, Zhao S, et al. High-throughput droplet microfluidic synthesis of hierarchical metal-organic framework nanosheet microcapsules. Nano Research, 2019, 12(11): 2736-2742. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-019-2507-4
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Abstract Full text Electronic supplementary material About this article

Using two-dimensional (2D) metal-organic framework (MOF) nanosheets as new building blocks to create more complex architectures at the mesoscopic/macroscopic scale has attracted extensive interest in recent years. Nevertheless, it remains a great challenge to assemble MOF nanosheets into hierarchical hollow structures so far. In this paper, we describe a successful example of hierarchical MOF nanosheet microcapsules, with precisely controlled sizes, produced on large scale within minutes with a continuous droplet microfluidic strategy. Following a reaction/diffusion growth mechanism, the microcapsule shells feature a continuous smooth inner layer and a porous outer layer. Such hierarchical structure enables the encapsulation of magnetite nanoparticles inside and loading of dense gold nanoparticles outside the microcapsules, which exhibit highly efficient heterogeneous catalytic activity and easy recyclability. The present microfluidic assembly method offers a new pathway for preparing hierarchical MOF nanosheet structures, with the potential for extension to the formation of other 2D nanosheets in general.


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Electronic supplementary material
About this article

High-throughput droplet microfluidic synthesis of hierarchical metal-organic framework nanosheet microcapsules

Show Author's information Songting Wu1, Zhong Xin1, Shicheng Zhao1( ), Shengtong Sun2( )
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Multiphase Materials Chemical EngineeringSchool of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Meilong RoadShanghai200237China
Center for Advanced Low-dimension Materials, National Engineering Research Center for Dyeing and Finishing of TextilesDonghua University, 2999 North Renmin RoadShanghai201620China

Abstract

Using two-dimensional (2D) metal-organic framework (MOF) nanosheets as new building blocks to create more complex architectures at the mesoscopic/macroscopic scale has attracted extensive interest in recent years. Nevertheless, it remains a great challenge to assemble MOF nanosheets into hierarchical hollow structures so far. In this paper, we describe a successful example of hierarchical MOF nanosheet microcapsules, with precisely controlled sizes, produced on large scale within minutes with a continuous droplet microfluidic strategy. Following a reaction/diffusion growth mechanism, the microcapsule shells feature a continuous smooth inner layer and a porous outer layer. Such hierarchical structure enables the encapsulation of magnetite nanoparticles inside and loading of dense gold nanoparticles outside the microcapsules, which exhibit highly efficient heterogeneous catalytic activity and easy recyclability. The present microfluidic assembly method offers a new pathway for preparing hierarchical MOF nanosheet structures, with the potential for extension to the formation of other 2D nanosheets in general.

Keywords: microcapsule, hierarchical structure, metal-organic framework nanosheet, droplet microfluidics

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Publication history
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Acknowledgements

Publication history

Received: 28 May 2019
Revised: 17 August 2019
Accepted: 27 August 2019
Published: 06 September 2019
Issue date: November 2019

Copyright

© Tsinghua University Press and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2019

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements

We gratefully acknowledge the financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 51873035, 21604024, and 21878089). This work was also sponsored by the Shanghai Municipal Natural Science Foundation (No. 17ZR1440400), "Qimingxing Plan" (No. 19QA1400200), ''Chenguang Program'' supported by the Shanghai Education Development Foundation and the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission (No. 16CG32), and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities.

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