Microscale synthesis system for regulation and prediction of metal organic framework morphologies

Abstract

Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) have attracted lot of attention. Traditional synthesis processes are usually conducted in beaker systems that always result in high reagents cost and time waste. Here, we introduce a microscale synthesis platform that integrated ultrasound unit array to solve the micro-stirring problem, and explore the influences of multi-parameters on the synthesis of Cu-MOFs. On such platform, the mini-pillars with high adhesion ability can be used for anchoring microdroplets (1–20 μL), and the ultrasound unit is applied for rapid micro-stirring of reagents. Such an integrated platform with low consumption of reagents can explore the influences of multiple synthesis parameters (e.g., ultrasound time and power, reagents concentration, solvents ratios, environmental humidity, and temperature) for precisely controlling and guiding Cu-MOF synthesis, and further to predict the specific Cu-MOFs nanostructures fabrication based on the miniature model database. We expect that such a platform can help the researchers to explore the relationships between the final morphology and input parameters, so as to achieve accurate material synthesis, which holds great potentials in future fully automated and robot-based laboratory.