Synthesis of 2D Ce-MOFs nanosheets and visiblelight-mediated decarboxylation performance

Abstract

Two-dimensional Ce-MOFs nanosheets were successfully constructed by using ceric ammonium nitrate as metal salt and 1, 3, 5-tris(4-carboxyphenyl)benzene (H3BTB) as organic ligand, together with the use of acetic acid as modulator.Acetic acid modulator shows significant effects on the morphology and crystallinity of Ce-MOFs. Ce-MOFs microspheres synthesized without acetic acid as modulator (named Ce-BTB-H0) are composed of highly cross-linked small nanosheets with low crystallinity and surface areas. On the contrary, Ce-MOFs synthesized with acetic acid (named Ce-BTB-H60) consist of dispersed nanosheets, and show improved crystallinity and higher surface areas than that of Ce-BTB-H0. Using blue LED as light source and oxygen as oxidant, two-dimensional Ce-MOFs nanosheets enable decarboxylation oxygenation of a variety of substituted phenylacetic acid to their corresponding benzaldehydes and benzyl alcoholsunder irradiation of blue LED in oxygen atmosphere at room temperature.Moreover, Ce-BTB-H60nanosheets show better photocatalytic performance due to their higher crystallinity, larger specific surface area and improved dispersity than that of Ce-BTB-H0.

Keywords

• ce-mofs
• two-dimensional nanosheet
• visible-light mediated catalysis
• decarboxylation oxygenation
• heterogeneous catalysis