Heterogeneous Growth of UiO-66-NH2 on Oxidized Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes to Form “Beads-on-a-String” Composites

• Published in: ACS applied materials & interfaces 2021-04, Vol.13 (13), p.15482-15489
• Main Authors: Zeng, Zidao, Sorescu, Dan C, White, David L, Hwang, Sean I, Shao, Wenting, He, Xiaoyun, Schulte, Zachary M, Rosi, Nathaniel L, Star, Alexander
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Carbon nanotubes; Composites; density functional theory; Functional Nanostructured Materials (including low-D carbon); graphene; INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; Materials; Metal organic frameworks; metal−organic frameworks; organophosphorus compounds; Oxides; sensors
• ISSN: 1944-8244; 1944-8252
• DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c21509

In this work, we demonstrate a facile synthesis of UiO-66-NH2 metal–organic framework (MOF)/oxidized single-walled carbon nanotubes (ox-SWCNTs) composite at room temperature. Acetic acid (HAc) was used as a modulator to manipulate the morphology of the MOF in these composites. With a zirconium oxide cluster (Zr) to 2-aminoteraphthalate linker (ATA) 1:1.42 ratio and acetic acid modulator, we achieved predominately heterogeneous MOF growth on the sidewalls of CNTs. Understanding the growth mechanism of these composites was facilitated by conducting DFT calculations to investigate the interactions between ox-SWCNTs and the MOF precursors. The synthesized composites combine both microporosity of the MOF and electrical conductivity of the SWCNTs. Gas sensing tests demonstrated higher response for UiO-66-NH2/ox-SWCNT hybrid toward dry air saturated with dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP) vapor compared to oxidized single-walled carbon nanotubes (ox-SWCNTs) alone.