Abstract
ZIF-8 [Zn(MIM)2, MIM = 2-methylimidazole] samples were synthesized by a vapor-assisted conversion method with n-heptane, methanol, and DMF, respectively. X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, nitrogen (N2) adsorption, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy were used to characterize the properties of the ZIF-8 samples. The particle sizes of the ZIF-8 samples synthesized with methanol, DMF, and n-heptane were 10–20, 60–90, and 30–50 μm, respectively. To our knowledge, this is the first time that ZIF-8 has been synthesized through vapor-assisted conversion with nonpolar n-heptane. For the ZIF-8 synthesis by this method, 0.5 mL of solvent was sufficient, greatly reducing the solvent dosage required compared with a traditional solvothermal method. In our study, on the crystallization of ZIF-8 synthesis by different liquid phases at 50 and 100 °C, we found that the transformation rate from the solid reagents to ZIF-8 phase with n-heptane was faster than that with methanol or DMF.
Acknowledgments
This work was supported by the National Natural Science Funds (Grant no. 51172153), Program for the Shanxi Province Foundation for Returness.