A novel Zn/Co zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF) has been constructed which demonstrates better gas adsorption (CO2, CH4 and N2) and catalytic (CO2 conversion) properties compared with ZIF-8 and ZIF-67.

In the midst of the global climate change phenomenon, mainly caused by fossil fuel burning to provide energy for our daily life and discharge of CO2 into the atmosphere, biogas is one of the important renewable energy sources that can be upgraded and applied as a fuel source for energy in daily life. The advantages of the production of hybrid materials, metal-organic framework (MOF) adsorbents, expected for the biogas upgrading, rely on the bulk separation of CO2 under near-ambient conditions. This review highlights the challenges for MOF adsorbents, which have the greatest upgrading abilities for biogas via selective passage of methane. The key factors improving the ideal MOF materials for these high CO2 capture and selectivity uses for biogas upgrading to produce bio-methane and reduce fossil-fuel CO2 emission will be discussed.

Here first a 2D dual-metal (Co/Zn) and leaf-like zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-L)-pyrolysis approach is reported for the low-cost and facile preparation of Co nanoparticles encapsulated into nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (Co-N-CNTs). Importantly, the reasonable Co/Zn molar ratio in the ZIF-L is the key to the emergence of the encapsulated microstructure. Specifically, high-dispersed cobalt nanoparticles are fully encapsulated in the tips of N-CNTs, leading to the full formation of highly active Co-N-C moieties for oxygen reduction and evolution reactions (ORR and OER). As a result, the obtained Co-N-CNTs present superior electrocatalytic activity and stability toward ORR and OER over the commercial Pt/C and IrO 2 as well as most reported metal-organic-framework-derived catalysts, respectively. Remarkably, as bifunctional air electrodes of the Zn-air battery, it also shows extraordinary charge-discharge performance. The present concept will provide a guideline for screening novel 2D metal-organic frameworks as precursors to synthesize advanced multifunctional nanomaterials for cross-cutting applications.