Fast ultrasound-assisted synthesis of highly crystalline MIL-88A particles and their application as ethylene adsorbents

• Published in: Ultrasonics sonochemistry Vol. 50; pp. 59 - 66
• Main Authors: Amaro-Gahete, Juan, Klee, Rafael, Esquivel, Dolores, Ruiz, José Rafael, Jiménez-Sanchidrián, César, Romero-Salguero, Francisco José
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.01.2019
• Subjects: Ethylene adsorption; MIL-88A particles; MOF; Ultrasound irradiation; Ethylene adsorption; MOF; Ultrasound irradiation; MIL-88A particles
• ISSN: 1350-4177; 1873-2828
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ultsonch.2018.08.027

•Ultrasound assisted methods facilitate MIL-88A formation with excellent properties.•Sonication time is a determining factor to obtain highly crystalline materials.•Morphology and particle size are influenced by the synthesis method.•MIL-88A is quite efficient for ethylene adsorption despite its moderate surface area. Highly crystalline MIL-88A particles have been successfully synthesized via fast ultrasound-assisted processes. The influence of the sonication generator and synthesis time on the structure, crystallinity, morphology and surface area of the materials were studied in detail. Under this modified ultrasonic method, X-ray diffraction patterns of MIL-88A particles showed highly crystalline structures in contrast to those reported in literature. Significant differences on surface areas and microporosity were appreciated under ultrasound conditions employed. Specific surface areas in the range between 179 and 359 m2 g−1 were obtained. That material synthesized under ultrasound batch conditions during 1 h had the highest surface area and microporous character. Different particle sizes and morphologies were obtained depending on the synthesis procedure. In general, probe sonicators led to smaller particle sizes. Moreover, a comparative study of the ethylene adsorption of the MIL-88A particles and several common MOFs in the ethylene adsorption was investigated. The results suggest that the modified ultrasound-assisted procedure for the synthesis of MIL-88A is effective to obtain highly crystalline particles, which are very efficient to adsorb ethylene molecules.