Large-Area Crystalline Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework Thin Films

We report that continuous MOF films with highly controlled thickness (from 44 to 5100 nm) can be deposited over length scales greater than 80 centimeters by a facile, fast, and cost-effective spray-coating method. Such success relies on our discovery of unprecedented perfectly dispersed colloidal solutions consisting of amorphous MOF nanoparticles, which we adopted as precursors that readily converted to the crystalline films upon low-temperature in situ heating. The colloidal solutions allow for the fabrication of compact and uniform MOF films on a great deal of substrates such as fluorine-doped tin oxide, glass, SiO2, Al2O3, Si, Cu, and even flexible polycarbonate, widening their technological applications where substrates are essential. Despite the present work focuses on the fabrication of uniform cobalt-(2-methylimidazole)(2) and zinc-(2-methylimidazole)(2) films, our findings mark a great possibility in producing other high-quality MOF thin films on a large scale.

Automated summary

A facile, fast, and cost-effective spray-coating method was utilized to deposit controlled-thickness MOF films over large scales, enabled by perfectly dispersed colloidal solutions. These solutions allow for the fabrication of compact and uniform MOF films on various substrates, showing great potential for producing high-quality MOF thin films on a large scale.