Preparation of large-size single-crystal metal–organic frameworks via the Marangoni effect

Abstract

The preparation of single crystals, especially large-size ones, is highly important but challenging. Herein, exploiting the special nucleation and growth environment provided by the Marangoni effect, we synthesised oriented centimetre-sized Zn-MOF crystals. These large-size single crystals can be employed for separation of mixed-ionic dyes without any further processing. This work opens up a brand-new avenue for the synthesis of large-size single-crystals.