Hierarchical porous materials based on nanoscale metal-organic frameworks dominated with permanent interparticle porosity

In order to extensively synthesize mesoporous metal-organic frameworks (mesoMOFs), we developed a strategy to construct permanent interparticle porosity based on nanoscale metal-organic frameworks (NMOFs). Using the strategy, we have attained a series of interparticle porosity dominated mesoMOFs (IPD-mesoMOFs) from six MOF-types with MII-100, MIL-53, HKUST-1, DUT-5, DUT-4 and MIL-101(Cr) (termed as IPD-mesoMOF-1, -2, -3, -4, -5 and -6) structure, respectively. All members of this series are not only comparable to inorganic mesoporous materials to have the tunable mesopore apertures varying from a few nanometers to over a dozen nanometers, but also superior to the inorganic counterparts to remain hierarchical porosity with higher surface area (up to 2130 m(2) g(-1)), larger mesopore volume (the highest to 2.59 cm(3) g(-1)) and optional micro-porosity of diverse crystalline structures. The large mesopore apertures and rich carboxyl residues on the mesopore-walls also allow the IPD-mesoMOF series to accommodate large organic and inorganic molecules, especially to immobilize the bulky natural protein, such as, hemoglobin. (C) 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.