Solvothermal synthesis, nanostructural characterization and gas cryo-adsorption studies in a metal organic framework (IRMOF-1) material

A nanoporous metal organic framework material, exhibiting an IRMOF-1 type crystalline structure, was, prepared by following a direct solvothermal synthesis approach, using zinc nitrate and terephthalic acid as precursors and dimethylformamide as solvent, combined with supercritical CO2 activation and vacuum outgassing procedures. A series of advanced characterization methods were employed, including scanning electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared radiation spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction, in order to study the morphology, surface chemistry and structure of the IRMOF-1 material directly upon its synthesis. Porosity properties, such as Brunauer Emmet Teller (BET) specific area (-520 m(2)/g) and micropore volume (-0.2 cm(3)/g), were calculated for the activated sample based on N-2 gas sorption data collected at 77 K. The H-2 storage performance was preliminary assessed by low-pressure (0-1 bar) H-2 gas adsorption and desorption measurements at 77 K. The activated IRMOF-1 material of this study demonstrated a fully reversible H-2 sorption behavior combined with an adequate gravimetric H-2 uptake relative to its BET specific area, thus achieving a value of similar to 1 wt.% under close-to-atmospheric pressure conditions. (C) 2017 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.