A hydrolytically stable amino-functionalized Zinc(II) metal-organic framework containing nanocages for selective gas adsorption and luminescent sensing

Abstract

To achieve the selectivity of luminescent sensing and gas separation, an unprecedented nanocages based 3D amino-functionalized MOF, {(Me 2 NH 2 )[Zn(NH 2 -TCB)]} n ( ZnMOF ) was constructed through ligand pre-design strategy. ZnMOF contains a unique 1D triple [Zn(COO)] n helix chain SBU and forms 7.89 × 11.72 × 14.79 Å 3 nanocages with the porosity up to 42.9%. Benefit from the outstanding thermal and chemical stabilities, the ZnMOF demonstrates considerable adsorption selectivity for CO 2 /CH 4 and highly sensitive detectability to Cr(VI) anions and nitroimidazole/nitrofuran antibiotics in water. In addition, the high selective adsorption and sensing mechanisms were also explored. Therefore, ZnMOF is a multifunctional material in the efficient gas adsorption and separation, and the detection of Cr(VI) anions and nitroimidazole/nitrofuran antibiotics. An unprecedented nanocages based amino-functionalized ZnMOF shows considerable selectivity in gas adsorption and luminescent sensing for Cr(VI) anions and antibiotics in aqueous media. • An unprecedented amino-functionalized nanocages based ZnMOF was designed with the porosity is 42.9 %. • ZnMOF shows high uptake for N 2 and H 2 and considerable adsorption selectivity for CO 2 /CH 4. • ZnMOF were implemented as dual-responsive luminescent sensors to detect Cr(VI) anions, and antibiotics in water, simultaneously. • The mechanism of selective adsorption and luminescence sensing were investigated.