Zn/Co ZIF family: MW synthesis, characterization and stability upon halogen sorption

The bimetallic Zn/Co-ZIF MOFs with different Zn:Co ratio were produced by microwave-assisted solvothermal synthesis. The morphological, structural and electronic properties of the obtained materials were probed with different experimental techniques (XRD, TEM, TGA, BET, UV-Vis, IR, Co and Zn K-edge XANES). The result of the overall characterization study evidences that: (i) for all Zn:Co ratio Zn/Co-ZIFs are isostructural to ZIF-8; (ii) Zn and Co occupy the same crystallographic site having the same local environment; (iii) increasing Co content results in the decrease of solvent and iodine amount adsorbed on the surface of the crystals, while the amount adsorbed inside the pores is almost constant. The Zn/Co-ZIF MOFs were tested for iodine and chlorine sorption.