(200j) MOF Integrated 3D Self-Supported Aerogels Constructed Via Solid Templating of Electrospun Nanofibers

Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) are a new class of porous crystalline materials and a subclass of coordination polymers that are synthesized in powder form. Important applications of MOFs include separation, selective gas adsorption and degradation, catalysis, gas storage, optics, magnetism, and electronic devices, to name a few. While the powder form of MOFs limits their deployment opportunities, most of these applications could be implemented through hybrid composite materials by integrating MOFs with other substrates such as aerogels through physical or chemical interfacial contacts. Generally, conventional aerogels are synthesized from a hydro/organo gel including multiple solvent exchange steps followed by solvent removal via freeze or supercritical drying. The complexity of this process not only raises the cost of fabrication but also significantly increases the duration of the process. We present a sustainable approach to prepare nanofibrous aerogels (NFAs) using sol-gel electrospun nanofibers. This facile and robust methodology results in the fabrication of a 3D self-supported cellular structure with elasticity, low density (~10 mg.cm^-3), and hierarchical porosity consisting of primary (1-5 µm) and secondary pores (10-60 µm). Our NFA with its hierarchical porous structure and high surface area is a useful substrate for MOF integration to produce hybrid composites utilizing the desirable properties of both NFAs and MOFs. This study focuses on the integration of MOFs into the 3D structure of NFA with potential applications for filtration and CO₂ capture. In this work, we investigate both physical incorporation and chemical synthesis of MOFs with NFAs and how they affect functionality.