Metal–organic framework deposition on dealloyed substrates

Abstract

The functionalization of surfaces to obtain high specific surface areas is important for catalysis, energy storage and sensing. The two main approaches to obtain porous surfaces are the deposition of porous materials, like Metal–Organic Frameworks (MOFs), and the modification of substrates, for example by dealloying. MOF layers have higher specific surface areas than dealloyed structures, but they are easily damaged by external forces. In this work, we report on the combination of dealloying and MOF deposition. The functionalised surfaces have a much higher specific surface area (circa 7000 m² m⁻²) than the simple sum of the specific area of a MOF layer and a dealloyed one. Moreover, the MOF crystals are protected by the dealloyed structures and are not easily removed by an external force. The presence of the metal scaffold may also enable fast heat exchange with the MOF, which is important for the use of these structures in e.g. adsorption rotors.