Chemical Reactions at Isolated Single-Sites Inside Metal–Organic Frameworks

Isolated, coordinatively unsaturated metal sites within metal–organic framework (MOF) materials feature interesting chemical properties and offer applications as single-site catalysts. Here, we report on the recent progress in providing fundamental insight into chemical reactions occurring inside MOFs. In addition to the common form, powders, we discuss the potential of MOF thin films (SURMOFs). The combined spectroscopic and modeling approach applied to selected systems demonstrated that the catalytic activity of MOFs can be precisely tuned. A particular interesting case is the so-called defect-engineering, where structural imperfections are created in a controlled fashion. The chemical properties of MOF materials can be further modified by integration and decoration of linkers or loading with guest species, such as metal or metal–oxide nanoparticles or nanoclusters. A particularly interesting aspect of layer-by-layer approaches for the fabrication of MOF thin films is the prospect to realize tandem catalysts

Catalytic Behaviour of Mesoporous Cobalt-Aluminum Oxides for CO Oxidation

Ordered mesoporous materials are promising catalyst supports due to their uniform pore size distribution, high specific surface area and pore volume, tunable pore sizes, and long-range ordering of the pore packing. The evaporation-induced self-assembly (EISA) process was applied to synthesize mesoporous mixed oxides, which consist of cobalt ions highly dispersed in an alumina matrix. The characterization of the mesoporous mixed cobalt-aluminum oxides with cobalt loadings in the range from 5 to 15 wt% and calcination temperatures of 673, 973, and 1073 K indicates that Co2+ is homogeneously distributed in the mesoporous alumina matrix. As a function of the Co loading, different phases are present comprising poorly crystalline alumina and mixed cobalt aluminum oxides of the spinel type. The mixed cobalt-aluminum oxides were applied as catalysts in CO oxidation and turned out to be highly active.Fil: Bordoloi, Ankur. Indian Institute of Petroleum; IndiaFil: Sanchez, Miguel Dario. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto de Física del Sur. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Física. Instituto de Física del Sur; ArgentinaFil: Noei, Heshmat. Research Group X-Ray Physics and Nanoscience Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron; AlemaniaFil: Kaluza, Stefan. Fraunhofer Institute of Environmental, Safety, and Energy Technology; AlemaniaFil: Großmann, Dennis. Ruhr Universität Bochum; AlemaniaFil: Wang, Yuemin. Ruhr Universität Bochum; AlemaniaFil: Grünert, Wolfgang. Ruhr Universität Bochum; AlemaniaFil: Muhler, Martin. Ruhr Universität Bochum; Alemani