Size-controlled Synthesis of Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8 (ZIF-8) Crystals in an Aqueous System at Room Temperature

We report here a simple and straightforward method that enables the size-controlled production of zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 in an aqueous system at room temperature. Pure single crystals with the size tuned in the range of ca. 300 nm to 3 gm in mean crystal size can be obtained and exhibit ultrahigh Langmuir surface area of above 1800 m(2) g(-1).