title: Facile mechanosynthesis of amorphous zeolitic imidazolate frameworks.
abstract: A fast and efficient mechanosynthesis (ball-milling) method of preparing amorphous zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) from different starting materials is discussed. Using X-ray total scattering, N(2) sorption analysis, and gas pycnometry, these frameworks are indistinguishable from one another and from temperature-amorphized ZIFs. Gas sorption analysis also confirms that they are nonporous once formed, in contrast to activated ZIF-4, which displays interesting gate-opening behavior. Nanoparticles of a prototypical nanoporous substituted ZIF, ZIF-8, were also prepared and shown to undergo amorphization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3QZ, UK.
authors.forename: Thomas D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.forename: Shuai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Jin Chong
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Keen
authors.forename: Erica G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Bithell
authors.forename: Patrick J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Beldon
authors.forename: Tomislav
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Friscic
authors.forename: Anthony K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Cheetham