title: Cooperative template-directed assembly of mesoporous metal-organic frameworks.
abstract: Despite great efforts, the development of a reliable way to assemble mesoporous metal-organic frameworks (mesoMOFs) remains a challenge. In this work, we have designed a cooperative template system, comprising a surfactant (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide) and a chelating agent (citric acid), for the generation of a mesoMOF containing a hierarchical system of mesopores interconnected with microspores. The surfactant molecules form micelles and the chelating agent bridges the MOF and the micelles, making self-assembly and crystal growth proceed under the direction of the cooperative template. However, when the surfactant or the chelating agent was applied individually, no mesoMOF was obtained.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, P.O. Box 30012, College Station, Texas 77842-3012, USA.
authors.forename: Lin-Bing
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Jian-Rong
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jinhee
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Hong-Cai
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Zhou