Novel Ce3+ and Ce4+ Metal-Organic Frameworks: a multi-technique characterization

The present thesis concerns the core activities of my three years of PhD studies: the synthesis of novel Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) and their characterization using a multi-technique approach. The activities of my laboratory (NIS center at the Università di Torino) are focused on the characterization of materials and their surfaces using a wide range of techniques, mainly spectroscopies. In order to develop the synthetic skills required for the present research I spent a period of 3 months abroad in the laboratory of Prof. Stock in Kiel (Germany), whose research interests are mainly devoted to synthesis of new MOFs. The skills acquired in that period were applied to the development of the synthetic procedure of each material reported in the present document. The “trait d’union” of this thesis is the use of cerium cations in Metal-Organic Frameworks. This metal, albeit uncommon in the current MOF literature, is characterized by a high availability and a peculiar chemistry which permitted to obtain equally peculiar MOF compounds. The following work is articulated into: 1) Introduction section, where MOFs will be described in general together with the main synthetic methods and characterization techniques used in the field and a fast survey on the main applications where MOFs play a role; 2) Synthetic procedures and Experimental methods; 3) Results presented in four different sections, each one devoted to a different material; 4) Conclusions.