A polydopamine layer as the nucleation center of MOF deposition on “inert” polymer surfaces to fabricate hierarchically structured porous films

Abstract

Effective deposition of MOFs on "inert" solid surfaces is very challenging. In this work, we found that polydopamine, which can be facilely and tightly formed on any types as well as any forms of solid surfaces, could be used as an effective nucleation center for MOF deposition. Based on this finding, various MOFs were successfully deposited onto nanofibrous polymer membranes, especially the commercially available "inert" ones, affording hierarchically structured porous films.

Metal–Organic Framework Thin Films: Fabrication, Modification, and Patterning

“…Polymers can serve as nucleation centers for MOFs as well. Zhou et al [99] investigated the fabrication of different MOF-TFs based on polydopamine (PDA)-coated substrates. HKUST-1, MOF-5, MIL-100(Fe) (Fe 3 O(H 2 O) 2 OH(BTC) 2 ), and ZIF-8 TFs were successfully deposited on PDA-modified substrates in an LBL deposition manner ( Figure 2D).…”

Adhesive bacterial amyloid nanofiber-mediated growth of metal–organic frameworks on diverse polymeric substrates

“…To surmount this challenge, several methods have been developed. These include microwave facilitated synthesis, 20 direct solvothermal synthesis, 21 contra-diffusion, 22 , 23 interfacial polymerization, 8 chemical modification of polymer surfaces, 24 hot-pressing, 25 seeded growth 26 , 27 and polydopamine 28 , 29 or protein 30 mediated growth. While each method has its own advantages, these approaches either require high temperature, the use of aggressive organic solvents, multiple-step fabrication or are only limited to special types of substrates or geometry.…”

Synthesis and Transport Properties of Novel MOF/PIM-1/MOF Sandwich Membranes for Gas Separation

“…Many different synthetic techniques have been reported to deposit a MOF film on solid surfaces, including surface functionalization of the solid substrates to form self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) [5,19,20,21,22,23,24,25]. These SAMs provide active sites for promoting the heterogeneous nucleation and the growth of MOF crystals and enhance the adhesion between MOF particles and supports as well [17,26].…”

“…The surface of PVAc was chemically modified to generate reactive carboxylic groups to enhance the compatibility between the HKUST-1 film and the polymer support, and to promote heterogeneous nucleation of crystal growth. An HKUST-1 film can also be grown on inert polymer surfaces, using a reactive layer acting as the nucleation centre [22]. Thus, HKUST-1 has been deposited on the inert polymers polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), after being coated with a polydopamine layer.…”