ACS Publications. Most Trusted. Most Cited. Most Read
Preparation and Applications of Metal–Organic Frameworks (MOFs): A Laboratory Activity and Demonstration for High School and/or Undergraduate Students
My Activity
    Laboratory Experiment

    Preparation and Applications of Metal–Organic Frameworks (MOFs): A Laboratory Activity and Demonstration for High School and/or Undergraduate Students
    Click to copy article linkArticle link copied!

    • Yoshie Sakamaki
      Yoshie Sakamaki
      Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701, United States
    • Miu Tsuji
      Miu Tsuji
      Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701, United States
      More by Miu Tsuji
    • Zachary Heidrick
      Zachary Heidrick
      Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701, United States
    • Olivia Watson
      Olivia Watson
      Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701, United States
    • Jeremy Durchman
      Jeremy Durchman
      Department of Physical Sciences, University of Arkansas—Fort Smith, Fort Smith, Arkansas 72913-3649, United States
    • Christopher Salmon
      Christopher Salmon
      Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701, United States
    • Stephen R. Burgin*
      Stephen R. Burgin
      Department of Curriculum and Instruction, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701, United States
      *Email: [email protected]
    • Hudson Beyzavi*
      Hudson Beyzavi
      Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701, United States
      *Website: https://beyzavigroup.uark.edu/. Email: [email protected]
    Other Access Options

    Journal of Chemical Education

    Cite this: J. Chem. Educ. 2020, 97, 4, 1109–1116
    Click to copy citationCitation copied!
    https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.9b01166
    Published March 27, 2020
    Copyright © 2020 American Chemical Society and Division of Chemical Education, Inc.

    Abstract

    Click to copy section linkSection link copied!
    Abstract Image

    The chemistry of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), a new class of emerging crystalline porous solids with three-dimensional (3D) networks composed of metals and multidentate organic molecules, was introduced by using three differently shaped crystals. We reported new and mild MOF synthesis methods that are simple and devised to be performed in high school or primarily undergraduate school settings. MOF applications were demonstrated by use of our synthesized MOFs in the capture of iodine as a potentially hazardous molecule from solution and as a drug delivery system. These applications can be visually confirmed in minutes. Students can gain knowledge on advanced topics, such as drug delivery systems, through these easy-to-prepare MOFs. Furthermore, students can gain an understanding of powder X-ray analysis and ultraviolet–visible near-infrared spectroscopy. This laboratory experience is practical, including synthesis and application of MOFs. The entire experiment has also been recorded as an educational video posted on YouTube as a free public medium for students to watch and learn. In this paper we first report the steps we took to synthesize and analyze the MOFs, followed by a description of a simple demonstration that we verified to effectively exhibit adsorption by MOFs. We conclude with a description of how the laboratory activity and demonstration were implemented in an undergraduate chemistry laboratory.

    Copyright © 2020 American Chemical Society and Division of Chemical Education, Inc.

    Read this article

    To access this article, please review the available access options below.

    Get instant access

    Purchase Access

    Read this article for 48 hours. Check out below using your ACS ID or as a guest.

    Recommended

    Access through Your Institution

    You may have access to this article through your institution.

    Your institution does not have access to this content. Add or change your institution or let them know you’d like them to include access.

    Cited By

    Click to copy section linkSection link copied!
    Citation Statements
    Explore this article's citation statements on scite.ai

    This article is cited by 42 publications.

    1. Ryo Horikoshi. Using Papercraft Models to Introduce Metal–Organic Frameworks to Students. Journal of Chemical Education 2025, 102 (2) , 877-881. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.4c01312
    2. Ryo Horikoshi. Designing Papercraft Models: Metal–Organic Cages Based on cis-Capped Palladium Building Blocks and Tridentate Bridging Ligands. Journal of Chemical Education 2024, 101 (7) , 2933-2937. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.4c00400
    3. Karlie Bach, Ryan P. Loughran, Alyssa Johnson, Eliseo Quiroz, Jacob M. Lessard, Kyle T. Smith, Nan Chieh Chiu, Makenzie T. Nord, Michael W. Burand, Margaret Haak, Kyriakos C. Stylianou. Metal–Organic Frameworks in General Chemistry Laboratory: Toward the Development of Students’ Scientific Identities. Journal of Chemical Education 2024, 101 (3) , 1016-1023. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.3c00949
    4. Joshua H. Williams, Musbau Gbadomosi, Andrew B. Greytak, Michael L. Myrick. Measuring the Surface Area of Carbon Black Using BET Isotherms: An Experiment in Physical Chemistry. Journal of Chemical Education 2023, 100 (12) , 4838-4844. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.3c00764
    5. S. Ephraim Neumann, Kallie Neumann, Zhiling Zheng, Nikita Hanikel, Jonathan Tsao, Omar M. Yaghi. Harvesting Water in the Classroom. Journal of Chemical Education 2023, 100 (11) , 4482-4487. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.3c00690
    6. Akshay Kumar K. Padinjareveetil, Juan V. Perales-Rondon, Dagmar Zaoralová, Michal Otyepka, Osamah Alduhaish, Martin Pumera. Fe-MOF Catalytic Nanoarchitectonic toward Electrochemical Ammonia Production. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 2023, 15 (40) , 47294-47306. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.3c12822
    7. Zvart Ajoyan, Christopher Copeman, Hudson A. Bicalho, Jean-Louis Do, Tiffany Te, Jennifer Romero, Ashlee J. Howarth. A Simple Method for Teaching Bragg’s Law in an Undergraduate Teaching Laboratory with the Use of Metal–Organic Frameworks. Journal of Chemical Education 2023, 100 (5) , 1990-1996. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.2c01226
    8. Georganna Benedetto, Brittany M. Cleary, Colin T. Morrell, Claudia G. Durbin, Anna L. Brinks, John Tietjen, Katherine A. Mirica. CD-MOF-1 for CO2 Uptake: Remote and Hybrid Green Chemistry Synthesis of a Framework Material with Environmentally Conscious Applications. Journal of Chemical Education 2023, 100 (3) , 1289-1295. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.2c00922
    9. Natália Cristina Zanotelli, Rodrigo Vieira Rodrigues, Ronan Farias Freire de Souza, Sílvia Denofre de Campos, Élvio Antônio de Campos. From Metal Complexes to BioMOFs: An Experimental Proposal for Teaching Coordination Chemistry Concepts. Journal of Chemical Education 2023, 100 (2) , 844-851. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.2c00849
    10. Tyler M. VanOursouw, Trevor Rottiger, Kiley A. Wadzinski, Brian E. VanderWaal, Madison J. Snyder, Riley T. Bittner, Omar K. Farha, Shannon C. Riha, Joseph E. Mondloch. Adsorption of a PFAS Utilizing MOF-808: Development of an Undergraduate Laboratory Experiment in a Capstone Course. Journal of Chemical Education 2023, 100 (2) , 861-868. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.2c00910
    11. Celia Todd, Carlos Melchor Ceballos, Monica C. So. Synthesis, Characterization, and Evaluation of Metal–Organic Frameworks for Water Decontamination: An Integrated Experiment. Journal of Chemical Education 2022, 99 (6) , 2392-2398. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.2c00115
    12. George C. Lisensky, Omar M. Yaghi. Visualizing Pore Packing and Topology in MOFs. Journal of Chemical Education 2022, 99 (5) , 1998-2004. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.2c00120
    13. Zhi Gao, Yulian Lai, Liuxin Zhang, Yuzhi Lin, Longhui Xiao, Yidong Luo, Feng Luo. Synthesis, Characterization, and Electrocatalytic Activity Exploration of MOF-74: A Research-Style Laboratory Experiment. Journal of Chemical Education 2021, 98 (10) , 3341-3347. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.1c00583
    14. Youdong Cheng, Dongchen Shi, Yi Di Yuan, Dan Zhao. Facile Synthesis of a Metal–Organic Framework for Removal of Methyl Blue from Water: First-Year Undergraduate Teaching Lab. Journal of Chemical Education 2020, 97 (11) , 4145-4151. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.0c00311
    15. Stephen R. Burgin, Yoshie Sakamaki, Miu Tsuji, Olivia Watson, Zachary Heidrick, Timothy Chitwood, Mourad Benamara, Elizabeth M. Martin, Michelle Childress, Hudson Beyzavi. Using a Faculty-Developed Documentary-Style Film to Communicate Authentic Chemistry Research to a High School Audience. Journal of Chemical Education 2020, 97 (8) , 2351-2355. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.0c00376
    16. Wuttichai Natongchai, Daniel Crespy, Valerio D’Elia. CO 2 fixation: cycloaddition of CO 2 to epoxides using practical metal-free recyclable catalysts. Chemical Communications 2025, 118 https://doi.org/10.1039/D4CC05291A
    17. Moses Kiteto, Beryl Vidija, Cleophas Achisa Mecha, Register Mrosso, Martha N. Chollom. Advances in metal–organic frameworks as adsorbents, photocatalysts and membranes: a new frontier in water purification. Discover Water 2024, 4 (1) https://doi.org/10.1007/s43832-024-00119-4
    18. . Ordered Porous and Nanomaterials‐Based Water Treatment Systems. 2024, 311-367. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119901532.ch7
    19. Manojkumar Jujam, Richa Rajak, Srinivas Dharavath. Trailblazing 3D MOFs Featuring 1,2,4‐Dinitrimino Triazole: Redefining Energetic Materials and Iodine Encapsulation. Advanced Functional Materials 2024, 13 https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202412638
    20. Abdol R. Hajipour, Sakineh Raimi. Efficient heck and Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reactions catalyzed by heterogeneous Pd NPs-decorated porous MOF catalysts under mild conditions. Journal of Molecular Structure 2024, 1309 , 138156. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molstruc.2024.138156
    21. Saba Daliran, Matías Blanco, Amarajothi Dhakshinamoorthy, Ali Reza Oveisi, José Alemán, Hermenegildo García. Defects and Disorder in Covalent Organic Frameworks for Advanced Applications. Advanced Functional Materials 2024, 34 (18) https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202312912
    22. Md. Masud Rana, Rajkumar Palanisamy, Beom-Soo Kang, Gyungse Park, Ho-Jung Sun, Hong-Ki Lee, So Yeon Kim, Joongpyo Shim. Bifunctional activity of NiCo on carbon nanotube catalyst for oxygen reduction and evolution on anion exchange membrane-unitized regenerative fuel cells (AEM-URFCs). International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 2024, 55 , 261-269. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2023.11.300
    23. Ali R. Oveisi, Saba Daliran, Yong Peng. Characterization of Organic Linker‐Containing Porous Materials as New Emerging Heterogeneous Catalysts. 2024, 97-126. https://doi.org/10.1002/9783527839278.ch3
    24. Mohd Muslim, Arif Ali, Musheer Ahmad. Hydrothermal synthesis of metal–organic frameworks. 2024, 73-92. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-95939-1.00011-3
    25. Nandini Swaminathan, Madhuri Sharon. Entry of Hybrid Nanomaterials in Biomedical Arena. 2024https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-95486-0.00044-2
    26. Maryam Karamipour, Sohrab Fathi, Meysam Safari. Removal of phenol from aqueous solution using MOF/GO: Synthesis, characteristic, adsorption performance and mechanism. International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry 2023, 103 (16) , 3853-3864. https://doi.org/10.1080/03067319.2021.1915299
    27. Thanh Duy Cam Ha, Heehyeon Lee, Ioannis Vamvasakis, Gerasimos S. Armatas, Youngtak Oh, Myung‐Gil Kim. Recent developments in porous metal chalcogenides for environmental remediation and sustainable energy. EcoMat 2023, 5 (12) https://doi.org/10.1002/eom2.12419
    28. David Izuchukwu Ugwu, Jeanet Conradie. Bidentate ligands in self-assembly: Synthesis, structure and applications. Journal of Molecular Structure 2023, 1293 , 136275. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molstruc.2023.136275
    29. Neda Rezaei, Majid Taghizadeh. Catalytic performance and kinetic modeling of n-hexane isomerization over phosphomolybdic acid (HPMo) combining palladium and platinum supported on metal-organic framework MIL-101(HPW). Chemical Engineering Communications 2023, 210 (11) , 1972-1991. https://doi.org/10.1080/00986445.2023.2172570
    30. N. Elumalai, C. Balaji, S. Masilamani, S. Harish, M. Navaneethan, Jothi Ramalingam Rajabathar, Hamad Al-lohedan, Manickam Selvaraj, R. Ramesh, P. Ramu. ZnFe-MOF derived ZnO/ZnFe2O4 nanocomposite as an electrode material for supercapacitor application. Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics 2023, 34 (30) https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-023-11494-4
    31. Zhuannian Liu, Yue Li, Yingying Teng. Adsorption separation in-situ synthesis of MIL-101(Cr)/AC composite and its cycling adsorption for Cr(VI) from aqueous solution. Desalination and Water Treatment 2023, 307 , 130-139. https://doi.org/10.5004/dwt.2023.29862
    32. Venkata Ramesh Naganaboina, Shiv Govind Singh. Chemiresistive gas sensors: From novel gas-sensing materials to electrode structure. Chemical Physics Reviews 2023, 4 (2) https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0151356
    33. Muhammad Imran, Abdul Rauf Khan, Mohamad Nazri Husin, Fairouz Tchier, Muhammad Usman Ghani, Shahid Hussain. Computation of Entropy Measures for Metal-Organic Frameworks. Molecules 2023, 28 (12) , 4726. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28124726
    34. Seyedeh Rozhan Mousavi, Hadi Hosseini. Metal–organic frameworks/MXenes hybrid nanomaterials for energy storage applications. Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics 2023, 34 (9) https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-023-10234-y
    35. Soumen Kumar Dubey, Maxcimilan Patra, Kajal Gupta, Subham Bhattacharjee, Rajat Saha, Carlos J. Gómez-García. A 3D Coordination Polymer Based on Syn-Anti Bridged [Mn(RCOO)2]n Chains Showing Spin-Canting with High Coercivity and an Ordering Temperature of 14 K. Magnetochemistry 2023, 9 (2) , 55. https://doi.org/10.3390/magnetochemistry9020055
    36. Balendra, Bharti Singh, Azeem Banday, Sevi Murugavel, Arunachalam Ramanan. Synthesis, structure and dielectric behavior study of Mn (II)-4,4′-sulfonyldibenzoate-auxiliary ligand system based coordination polymers (CPs). Journal of Molecular Structure 2023, 1274 , 134389. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molstruc.2022.134389
    37. Sahin Demirci, Yildiz Yildrim, Nurettin Sahiner. A comparison study about antibacterial activity of zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) prepared with various metal ions. Inorganica Chimica Acta 2022, 542 , 121110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ica.2022.121110
    38. Nkongolo Tshamala Aristote, Xinglan Deng, Kangyu Zou, Xu Gao, Roya Momen, Fengrong Li, Wentao Deng, Hongshuai Hou, Guoqiang Zou, Xiaobo Ji. General overview of sodium, potassium, and zinc-ion capacitors. Journal of Alloys and Compounds 2022, 913 , 165216. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2022.165216
    39. Lehlohonolo E. Mphuthi, Mametsi R. Maseme, Ernst H. G. Langner. Ti(IV)-Exchanged Nano-ZIF-8 and Nano-ZIF-67 for Enhanced Photocatalytic Oxidation of Hydroquinone. Journal of Inorganic and Organometallic Polymers and Materials 2022, 32 (7) , 2664-2678. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10904-022-02327-8
    40. Tilahun Y. Feyisa, Kirubel T. Tadele. Nanocomposite Based Enzyme-less Electrochemical Sensors for Carbamate and Organophosphorus Pesticides Detection. Current Nanomaterials 2022, 7 (2) , 93-109. https://doi.org/10.2174/2405461507666220117114205
    41. Jessie Abraham, Micheal Arockiaraj, Joseph Jency, S. Ruth Julie Kavitha, Krishnan Balasubramanian. Graph entropies, enumeration of circuits, walks and topological properties of three classes of isoreticular metal organic frameworks. Journal of Mathematical Chemistry 2022, 60 (4) , 695-732. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10910-021-01321-8
    42. Iftikhar Hussain, Sarmad Iqbal, Charmaine Lamiel, Akram Alfantazi, Kaili Zhang. Recent advances in oriented metal–organic frameworks for supercapacitive energy storage. Journal of Materials Chemistry A 2022, 10 (9) , 4475-4488. https://doi.org/10.1039/D1TA10213C

    Journal of Chemical Education

    Cite this: J. Chem. Educ. 2020, 97, 4, 1109–1116
    Click to copy citationCitation copied!
    https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.9b01166
    Published March 27, 2020
    Copyright © 2020 American Chemical Society and Division of Chemical Education, Inc.

    Article Views

    8902

    Altmetric

    -

    Citations

    Learn about these metrics

    Article Views are the COUNTER-compliant sum of full text article downloads since November 2008 (both PDF and HTML) across all institutions and individuals. These metrics are regularly updated to reflect usage leading up to the last few days.

    Citations are the number of other articles citing this article, calculated by Crossref and updated daily. Find more information about Crossref citation counts.

    The Altmetric Attention Score is a quantitative measure of the attention that a research article has received online. Clicking on the donut icon will load a page at altmetric.com with additional details about the score and the social media presence for the given article. Find more information on the Altmetric Attention Score and how the score is calculated.