Experimental and molecular simulation studies of CO2 adsorption on zeolitic imidazolate frameworks: ZIF-8 and amine-modified ZIF-8

ZIF-8 has been rapidly developed as a potential candidate for CO₂ capture due to its low density, high surface area, and robust structure. Considering the electron-donating effect of amino functional groups, amino-modification is expected to be an efficient way to improve CO₂ adsorption of ZIF-8. In this work, grand canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulation was performed to study the CO₂ adsorption isotherm based on ZIF-8, ZIF-8-NH₂, and ZIF-8-(NH₂)₂. ZIF-8 was synthesized and CO₂ adsorption isotherms based on ZIF-8 was measured. The experimental surface area, pore volume, and CO₂ adsorption isotherm were used to validate the force field. Adsorptive capacity of ZIF-8-NH₂, and ZIF-8-(NH₂)₂ were first estimated. The GCMC simulation results indicated that the order of increasing CO₂ capacity of the ZIF-8 in the lower pressure regime is: ZIF-8 < ZIF-8-NH₂ < ZIF-8-(NH₂)₂, and in the high pressure is: ZIF-8 < ZIF-8-(NH₂)₂ < ZIF-8-NH₂. New adsorption sites can be generated with the existence of-NH₂ groups. In addition, for non-modified and amino-modified ZIF-8, it was the first time to use density functional theory (DFT) calculations to investigate their CO₂ adsorption sites and CO₂ binding energies. The present work indicates that appropriate amine-functionalized can directly enhanced CO₂ capacity of ZIF-8.     

不同方法合成的沸石咪唑酯骨架结构材料(ZIF-8)的表征和催化性能

以二甲基咪唑为有机连接体和以Zn(OH)2或Zn(NO3)2·6H2O为Zn源,在甲醇与氨水的混合溶液、甲醇和DMF 3种不同的合成体系中合成了沸石咪唑酯骨架结构材料ZIF-8(分别记为ZIF-8(NH4OH)、ZIF-8(MeOH)和ZIF-8(DMF),并采用XRD、FTIR、N2吸附、SEM、TPD及Knoevenagel缩合反应等手段对所合成材料进行了表征。结果表明,采用这3种不同的合成方法均可成功制备出ZIF-8,所合成的ZIF-8的形貌基本一致,但其晶粒大小和酸碱性能有较大区别,同ZIF-8(NH4OH)和ZIF-8(DMF)相比,ZIF-8(MeOH)晶粒分布集中、平均粒径较小且具有较大的外比表面积和较多的酸碱位。不同方法合成的ZIF-8在苯甲醛和丙二腈的Knoevenagel缩合反应中的催化性能有很大差异,ZIF-8(MeOH)催化活性明显高于ZIF-8(DMF)和ZIF-8(NH4OH),其较高的催化活性,同其较大的外比表面积和酸碱性能密切相关。     

不同方法合成的沸石咪唑酯骨架结构材料(ZIF-8)的表征和催化性能

以二甲基咪唑为有机连接体和以Zn(OH)₂或Zn(NO₃)₂·6H₂O为Zn源,在甲醇与氨水的混合溶液、甲醇和DMF₃种不同的合成体系中合成了沸石咪唑酯骨架结构材料ZIF-8(分别记为ZIF-8(NH₄OH)、ZIF-8(MeOH)和ZIF-8(DMF),并采用XRD、FTIR、N₂吸附、SEM、TPD及Knoevenagel缩合反应等手段对所合成材料进行了表征。结果表明,采用这3种不同的合成方法均可成功制备出ZIF-8,所合成的ZIF-8的形貌基本一致,但其晶粒大小和酸碱性能有较大区别,同ZIF-8(NH₄OH)和ZIF-8(DMF)相比,ZIF-8(MeOH)晶粒分布集中、平均粒径较小且具有较大的外比表面积和较多的酸碱位。不同方法合成的ZIF-8在苯甲醛和丙二腈的Knoevenagel缩合反应中的催化性能有很大差异,ZIF-8(MeOH)催化活性明显高于ZIF-8(DMF)和ZIF-8(NH₄OH),其较高的催化活性,同其较大的外比表面积和酸碱性能密切相关。     

Stability of ZIF-8 Nanoparticles in Most Common Cell Culture Media

Zeolite imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) is a promising platform for drug delivery, and information regarding the stability of ZIF-8 nanoparticles in cell culture media is essential for proper interpretation of in vitro experimental results. In this work, we report a quantitative investigation of the ZIF-8 nanoparticle’s stability in most common cell culture media. To this purpose, ZIF-8 nanoparticles containing sterically shielded nitroxide probes with high resistance to reduction were synthesized and studied using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). The degradation of ZIF-8 in cell media was monitored by tracking the cargo leakage. It was shown that nanoparticles degrade at least partially in all studied media, although the degree of cargo leakage varies widely. We found a strong correlation between the amount of escaped cargo and total concentration of amino acids in the environment. We also established the role of individual amino acids in ZIF-8 degradation. Finally, 2-methylimidazole preliminary dissolved in cell culture media partially inhibits the degradation of ZIF-8 nanoparticles. The guidelines for choosing the proper cell culture medium for the in vitro study of ZIF-8 nanoparticles have been formulated.     

The calcined zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) under different conditions as electrode for supercapacitor applications

Zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) is synthesized by typical solvothermal method and subsequently calcined under air and nitrogen atmosphere, respectively. The carbon in the calcined ZIF-8 under nitrogen atmosphere was from the carbonization of the guest molecules, without adding any other carbon sources. The samples are characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and electrochemical analyzer system. When the ZIF-8 is used as electrode materials for a supercapacitor in 6 M KOH electrolyte, it displays a pseudocapacitive behavior. The untreated ZIF-8 and calcined ZIF-8 under air and nitrogen atmosphere electrodes exhibit a specific capacitance of 96, 156, and 185 F g^?1, respectively, at a scan rate of 5 mV s^?1 and good stability over 1,500 cycles. These results indicate that the ZIF-8 is a promising material for supercapacitors.     

One-step fabrication of ZIF-8/polymer composite spheres by a phase inversion method for gas adsorption

This paper reports a phase inversion method for the preparation of macroporous polysulfone (PS) composite spheres through a single orifice spinneret. Surfactant F127 was pre-added in the polymer solution as a surface pore-forming agent, and different amount of zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) particles were incorporated to form the ZIF-8/polysulfone (ZIF-8/PS)-composite spheres. ZIF-8 and polymer acted as the adsorbent and binder in the final composite spheres, respectively. The fabrication conditions, such as the types of the surfactant, the amount of the surfactant, and ZIF-8 added in the polymer solution, were investigated. Nitrogen and carbon dioxide sorption analysis indicated the ZIF-8/PS composite spheres had similar properties as the pure ZIF-8 particles, and the active sites of ZIF-8 in the polymer composites were well exposed. The composite spheres exhibited advantages of easy handling and recycling over ZIF-8 particles, and this phase inversion method can be extended to prepare other polymer composite spheres.     

ZIF-8 Nanoparticles Evoke Pyroptosis for High-Efficiency Cancer Immunotherapy

Although zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) has been applied in various tumor therapies, the intrinsic immunogenicity remains unclear. Here, we initiatively discover that ZIF-8 nanoparticles (NPs) can intrinsically induce pyroptosis by a caspase-1/gasdermin D (GSDMD)-dependent pathway. The pyroptotic cell death is accompanied by necrosis and immunogenic cell death (ICD) simultaneously for efficient in situ immunity initiation. Meanwhile, carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenyl hydrazone (CCCP), a mitochondrial depolarizing agent, is successfully loaded into ZIF-8 NPs and found to further enhance the pyroptosis process. Collectively, the obtained Pluronic F127-modified CCCP-incorporated ZIF-8 NPs (^F127ZIF-8_CCCP NPs) activate antitumor immunity and reprogram immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), realizing high-efficiency tumor growth inhibition. This work will facilitate biomedicine applications of ZIF-8 and provide good inspiration for pyroptosis-induced cancer therapy.     

Enhanced Activity of Enzyme Immobilized on Hydrophobic ZIF-8 Modified by Ni2+ Ions

The development of efficient enzyme immobilization to promote their recyclability and activity is highly desirable. Zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) has been proved to be an effective platform for enzyme immobilization due to its easy preparation and biocompatibility. However, the intrinsic hydrophobic characteristic hinders its further development in this filed. Herein, a facile synthesis approach was developed to immobilize pepsin (PEP) on the ZIF-8 carrier by using Ni²⁺ ions as anchor (ZIF-8@PEP-Ni). By contrast, the direct coating of PEP on the surface of ZIF-8 (ZIF-8@PEP) generated significant conformational changes. Electrochemical oxygen evolution reaction (OER) was employed to study the catalytic activity of immobilized PEP. The ZIF-8@PEP-Ni composite attains remarkable OER performance with an ultralow overpotential of only 127 mV at 10 mA cm⁻², which is much lower than the 690 and 919 mV overpotential values of ZIF-8@PEP and PEP, respectively.     

Development of a force field for zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 with structural flexibility

A force field is developed for zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) with structural flexibility by combining quantum chemical calculations and classical Amber force field. The predicted crystalline properties of ZIF-8 (lattice constants, bond lengths, angles, dihedrals, and x-ray diffraction patterns) agree well with experimental results. A structural transition from crystalline to amorphous as found in experiment is observed. The mechanical properties of ZIF-8 are also described fairly well by the force field, particularly the Young's modulus predicted matches perfectly with measured value. Furthermore, the heat capacity of ZIF-8 as a typical thermophysical property is predicted and close to experimental data available for other metal-organic frameworks. It is revealed the structural flexibility of ZIF-8 exerts a significant effect on gas diffusion. In rigid ZIF-8, no diffusive behavior is observed for CH(4) within the simulation time scale of current study. With the structural flexibility, however, the predicted diffusivities of CH(4) and CO(2) are close to reported data in the literature. The density distributions and free energy profiles of CH(4) and CO(2) in the pore of ZIF-8 are estimated to analyze the mechanism of gas diffusion.     

Zeolitic Imidazolate framework-8 as efficient pH-sensitive drug delivery vehicle

Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8 (ZIF-8), for the first time for ZIFs, exhibits a remarkable capacity for the anticancer drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), around 660 mg of 5-FU/g of ZIF-8, and presents a pH-triggered controlled drug release property. These prove ZIF-8 to be a valuable candidate for delivery of anticancer agents and reveal its potential applications in the treatment of cancer.     

ZIF-8对向列相液晶电-光性能的提升

ZIF-8（沸石咪唑酯骨架结构材料）是一种金属有机物骨架结构材料,因其极高的比表面积、出色的热稳定性而被广泛应用于各种性质研究中。ZIF-8通过传统的水热法在甲醇溶液中合成,其颗粒尺寸约为250nm,形貌为菱形十二面体。研究发现,合成的ZIF-8材料具有良好的热稳定性及相当大的比表面积。将其掺杂进液晶中会增强液晶的电-光性能,增强效果与掺杂浓度有关。在向列相液晶4-氰基-4'-戊基联苯（5CB）中,ZIF-8可以吸附杂质离子,抑制屏蔽效应,最终使液晶驱动电压降低,响应加快。在掺杂浓度为0.05%（w,质量分数）时,液晶体系的电-光性能改善最明显,阈值电压（V_th）最小达到0.92 V,饱和电压（V_sat）达到1.31 V,响应时间仅为10.04 ms。而当掺杂浓度大于0.05%（w）时,ZIF-8在液晶盒中发生团聚,影响液晶分子的有序排布,同时吸附杂质离子减少,不利于液晶电-光性能的改善。     

Structural evolution of zeolitic imidazolate framework-8

We report the structural evolution of zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) as a function of time at room temperature. We have identified the different stages of ZIF-8 formation (nucleation, crystallization, growth, and stationary periods) and elucidated its kinetics of transformation. We hypothesize that the observed semicrystalline-to-crystalline transformation may take place via solution- and solid-mediated mechanisms, as suggested by the observed phase transformation evolution and Avrami's kinetics, respectively. A fundamental understanding of ZIF-8 structural evolution as demonstrated in this study should facilitate the preparation of functional metal-organic framework phases with controlled crystal size and extent of crystallinity.     

Amorphization of the prototypical zeolitic imidazolate framework ZIF-8 by ball-milling

We report the rapid amorphization of the prototypical substituted zeolitic imidazolate framework, ZIF-8, by ball-milling. The resultant amorphous ZIF-8 (a(m)ZIF-8) possesses a continuous random network (CRN) topology with a higher density and a lower porosity than its crystalline counterpart. A decrease in thermal stability upon amorphization is also evident.     

Facile synthesis of size-tunable ZIF-8 nanocrystals using reverse micelles as nanoreactors

This paper describes a robust method for the synthesis of high-quality ZIF-8 nanocrystals using reverse micelles as discrete nanoscale reactors.The precise size control of ZIF-8 nanocrystals is conveniently achieved by tuning the concentration of precursors,reaction temperatures,the amount of water,and the structure of surfactants.The as-synthesized ZIF-8 nanocrystals are of narrow distribution and tunable size.A size-dependent catalytic activity for Knoevenagel condensation reaction is further demonstrated by using ZIF-8 nanocrystals with different sizes as the catalysts.This facile method opens up a new opportunity in the synthesis of various ZIFs nanocrystals.     

Synthesis of novel ZnS nanocages utilizing ZIF-8 polyhedral template

Truncated rhombic dodecahedral zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) nanocrystals are fabricated with acetate as a modulating ligand; ZnS hollow polyhedra with uniform morphology are obtained using the ZIF-8 templates.     

Insight into the Effect of ZIF-8 Particle Size on the Performance in Nanocarbon-Based Supercapacitors

Carbon materials derived from zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) and composites thereof have been intensively investigated in supercapacitors. The particle size of the used ZIF-8 ranges from dozens of nanometers to several microns. However, the influence of the particle size of ZIF-8 on the capacitive performances is still not clear. A series of ZIF-8 with different particle sizes (from 25 to 296 nm) has been synthesized and carbonized for supercapacitors. Based on TEM, EDX mapping, XRD, Raman, nitrogen adsorption–desorption, XPS, and the results of electrochemical tests, the optimal particle size (≈70 nm) for superior supercapacitor performances in both acidic and alkaline electrolytes has been obtained. This important result provides a significant reference to guide future ZIF-8 related research to achieve the best electrochemical performance.     

Production of biodiesel through transesterification of soybean oil using ZIF-8@GO doped with sodium and potassium catalyst

One pot encapsulating (hydrothermal) method was used to synthesize ZIF-8@GO hybrid nanocomposites. Na/ZIF-8@GO doped with potassium were synthesized by the hydrothermal treatment of ZIF-8@GO precursor with a 10 M alkali solution containing both NaOH and KOH. The final product (KNa/ZIF-8@GO) was characterized by FTIR, XRD, BET, TGA, and SEM. The structure of graphene oxide remains intact following various modifications, as shown by absorption–desorption analysis, while spectral techniques indicate successful immobilization of the neat ZIF-8 between the GO sheets. Furthermore, soybean oil has been used as the feedstock in the preparation of biodiesel by KNa/ZIF-8@GO-catalyzed transesterification process. The effects of various reaction parameters, including methanol/oil molar ratio, reaction time, catalyst mass, and reaction temperature were investigated. A remarkable conversion of 98% was obtained using a 8% (wt/wt oil) of KNa/ZIF-8@GO catalyst, methanol/oil molar ratio of 18 : 1, and reflux temperature of methanol over a period of 8 h. The solid catalyst can be reused over at least three cycles under mild reaction conditions.

     

低共熔溶剂中原位合成ZIF-8膜及其气体分离性能

在α-氧化铝载体上,采用原位合成法,在尿素/氯化胆碱低共熔溶剂中合成了ZIF-8膜。采用X射线衍射(XRD)和扫描电子显微镜(SEM)对合成的ZIF-8膜进行了表征。考察了反应溶液浓度、降温速率对ZIF-8膜合成的影响。通过优化合成条件合成了表面平整致密,厚度为8 μm的ZIF-8膜。采用Wicke-Kallenbach技术对优化条件下合成的ZIF-8膜进行了单组分气体渗透和双组分混合气体分离性能表征。在室温(293 K)下,ZIF-8膜对H2/CO2、H2/O2、H2/N2、H2/CH4双组分气体的分离系数分别为7.4、5.2、9.1、13.8,均大于相应的努森扩散分离系数,说明合成的ZIF-8膜具有分子筛分性能。     

不同尺寸ZIF-8对U(VI)的吸附性能

以经典的金属有机骨架(MOFs)材料ZIF-8为吸附剂,研究尺寸效应对铀吸附性能的影响。 通过3种方法合成不同粒径的ZIF-8,利用扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、X射线粉末衍射仪(XRD)、表面积与孔隙度分析仪等对其进行了表征,测试了相同条件下不同尺寸的ZIF-8对硝酸铀酰溶液中U(VI)吸附,分别对其吸附过程的动力学和吸附等温线进行了考察,并测试了材料的可重复利用性。 结果表明,成功制备了高结晶性、高纯度的ZIF-8,产物形貌呈菱形十二面体,颗粒均匀,粒径分别为约50 nm、150 nm及2 μm;3种ZIF-8具有单一均匀的微孔结构和与粒径高度相关的比表面积;不同尺寸的ZIF-8均能快速吸附溶液中的U(VI),在室温pH=3下,在70 min左右时即可吸附初始质量浓度为200 mg/L的U(VI)溶液中90%以上U(VI);其中较小尺寸(约50 nm)的ZIF-8吸附性能最好,单位质量ZIF-8吸附U(VI)的饱和吸附量达到520.26 mg/g;ZIF-8对U的吸附动力学上符合二级动力学方程,吸附等温线符合Langmuir模型,说明ZIF-8对U(VI)的捕获属于化学单层吸附;经过4个吸附-解吸循环后,3种尺寸的ZIF-8均依然保持了70%以上的去除率。     

ZIF-8原位负载Pd纳米粒子及其在Suzuki-Miyaura反应中的应用(英文)

将PdCl2与ZIF-8的反应原料ZnO和2-甲基咪唑按照一定的比例,采用机械化学法原位将Pd2+负载在ZIF-8上(Pd2+/ZIF-8)。然后用NaBH4将Pd2+/ZIF-8进行还原,得到均匀分散的Pd纳米颗粒(Pd/ZIF-8)。通过XRD、N2吸附、透射电镜、ICP-AES、XPS等对Pd/ZIF-8的结构、形貌、价态等进行了表征。结果表明用机械化学法原位制备的Pd/ZIF-8具有分散均匀、容易大量制备的优点。该催化剂不仅能高效催化Suzuki-Miyaura交叉偶联反应,并且能够多次循环利用。