Surface structure of metal-organic framework grown on self-assembled monolayers revealed by high-resolution atomic force microscopy.
The surface structure of an individual metal-organic framework (MOF) microcrystal grown on a functionalized surface has been successfully investigated for the first time in air and vacuum using high-resolution atomic force microscopy. Moreover, this detailed surface analysis has been utilized to optimize the MOF formation procedure to obtain a defect-free surface structure. Comparison of obtained data with recent microscopic studies performed on the same MOF crystal but grown by a conventional procedure clearly shows a much higher quality of crystals produced by surface oriented growth. Importantly, this method of preparing crystals suitable for microscopic analysis is also much faster (3 days compared to 2 years) and, in contrast to the conventional method, produces material suitable for in situ study. These results thus demonstrate for the first time the possibility of nanoscale investigation/modification of MOF surface structure.
Research Center for Nanometer-Scale Science and Advanced Materials, Faculty of Physics, Astronomy, and Applied Computer Science, Jagiellonian University, 30-059 Kraków, Poland.
Katarzyna
K
Szelagowska-Kunstman
Piotr
P
Cyganik
Maria
M
Goryl
Denise
D
Zacher
Zita
Z
Puterova
Roland A
RA
Fischer
Marek
M
Szymonski
D003300:Copper / Q000737:chemistry*; D003460:Crystallization; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D012825:Silicon / Q000737:chemistry*; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties; D014233:Tricarboxylic Acids / Q000737:chemistry*
D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D014233:Tricarboxylic Acids; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D003300:Copper; C069849:trimesic acid; D012825:Silicon