Design and development of UiO-67-coated PIM-1-based composites and demonstration of their detoxification performance

Abstract

Polymer-supported MOF composites have emerged as versatile candidates for various separation and catalytic applications. In this study, we demonstrate design and development of UiO-67-coated Ce(OH)4@PIM-1 composites via dip-coating, drop-casting, solid-phase coating, and supramolecular assembly, and assess their preparation-structure-performance relations. The catalytic performance of the composites was investigated through hydrolysis of dimethyl 4-nitrophenyl phosphate (DMNP), as a nerve agent simulant. The findings revealed that while dip-coating method was unable to achieve a thick and uniform coverage of the MOF layer on the Ce(OH)4@PIM-1, the supramolecular assembly gave rise to 16 wt% MOF loading and the composite prepared via this method exhibited superior catalytic activity by achieving 100% DMNP conversion within 15 min with a half-time of ∼ 4 min at a rate of 0.165 min−1. The enhanced DMNP hydrolysis of the UiO-67-coated Ce(OH)4@PIM-1 composites prepared via supramolecular assembly was driven by the well-connected pore structure and well-dispersed MOF crystals, which enabled greater active sites accessibility. Post-characterization results confirmed that the materials retained their functionality after hydrolysis by exhibiting 100% DMNP conversion efficiency over three cycles. The findings of this study provide valuable insights into the development of advanced protective materials for defense and civilian applications.