Synthesis and Analysis of Titanium Based Metal Organic Frameworks for Photocatalysis

Abstract

Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) are porous inorganic networks that have recently shown potential in energy applications as photocatalysts. The porosity of MOFs make them excellent for guest-host interactions, however, most MOFs are slightly insulating due to metal oxide nodes, resulting in larger band gaps and poor conductivity. In order to combat these issues, post-synthetic modifications (PSM) can be used to slightly alter MOF properties. In this study, PSM’s were introduced to Titanium-based MOFs with MIL topology, such as MIL-125 and MIL-125-NH2, to improve their ability to photocatalytically degrade organic dyes through the addition of polyaniline nanofibers and additional metal interactions. The performance of these modified MOFs were tested and compared to the unmodified MOFs. In addition, titanium-based MOFs, were investigated because their nodes that are more semiconducting than other MOF types. Each MOF was characterized using BET surface area analysis, infrared spectroscopy, and powder X-ray diffraction. The conductivity of different MOFs were compared using cyclic voltammetry. The relative photocatalytic properties of each MOF was determined by monitoring their efficiency for photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B and phenol red dyes in solution under controlled environments.