Nano-porous indium(III) metal-organic framework as a novel precursor for synthesis of In2O3 nanoparticles

A porous indium(III) metal-organic framework, [In-2(OH)(2)(C10O8H2)](n)center dot 2nH(2)O (MIL-60), has been synthesized by hydrothermal method and characterized by elemental analyses, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and IR spectroscopy. Indium(III) oxide nanoparticles have been prepared by direct thermal decomposition of compound MIL-60 at 450 degrees C under air atmosphere. The indium(III) oxide nanoparticles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD). This study demonstrates that the porous metal-organic framework may be suitable precursors for the simple one-pot preparation of nanoscale metal oxide materials with different and interesting morphologies. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.