Formation of Zeolitic Imidazolate Frameworks-8 (ZIF-8) using microwave assisted hydrothermal technique

Zeolitic Imidazolate Frameworks-8 (ZIF-8) have emerged as a promising class of porous Metal-Organic Framework materials with a wide range of applications due to their tunable characteristics. This study presents the synthesis of ZIF-8 using the microwave-assisted hydrothermal method in an aqueous solution to investigate the efficiency and characteristics of ZIF-8. The synthesis process involves a 15 min microwave irradiation at 180 °C with a mixture of zinc nitrate solution with 2-methyl imidazole in deionized water with triethylamine. The rapid synthesis yields pure ZIF-8 crystals, as validated by X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and Fourier-Transform Infrared spectroscopy. The formation of ZIF-8 displays two distinct crystal shapes, with an average size of 0.510 µm, a direct band gap of 4.94 eV as well a BET surface area of 1652.06 m2 g−1. The high-quality ZIF-8 produced is ideal for catalysis, gas separation, and other applications, suitable for commercial-scale production.

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