Cover Picture: Green Microwave Synthesis of MIL‐100(Al, Cr, Fe) Nanoparticles for Thin‐Film Elaboration (Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 32/2012)

Abstract

The front cover picture shows nanoparticles of mesoporous metal trimesate MIL‐100(Al, Cr or Fe) metal–organic framework, which were synthesized by a microwave‐assisted solvothermal route using green solvents. The optimization of yield, crystallinity, and particle size was achieved through the control of synthetic parameters. The particle size strongly depends on the nature of the metallic cation and the organic precursor, leading to nanoparticles smaller than 100 nm for iron‐ and chromium‐based MIL‐100 . Finally, stable colloidal solutions of iron and chromium MIL‐100 nanoparticles were obtained to prepare thin films of high optical quality by dip coating, and their porosity was investigated by environmental ellipsometry. Details are discussed in the article by P. Horcajada, C. Serre, C. Boissière et al. on p. 5165 ff.