Sandwiching of MOF nanoparticles between graphene oxide nanosheets among ice grains

Abstract Current strategies to tailor the formation of nanoparticle clusters require specificity and directionality built into the surface functionalization of the nanoparticles by involved chemistries that can alter their properties. Here, we describe a non-disruptive approach to place nanomaterial...

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Main Authors: Youhua Lu, Ye-Guang Fang, Yang Chen, Han Xue, Junqiang Mao, Bo Guan, Jie Liu, Jinping Li, Libo Li, Chongqin Zhu, Wei-Hai Fang, Thomas P. Russell, Jianjun Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-04-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56949-w
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author Youhua Lu
Ye-Guang Fang
Yang Chen
Han Xue
Junqiang Mao
Bo Guan
Jie Liu
Jinping Li
Libo Li
Chongqin Zhu
Wei-Hai Fang
Thomas P. Russell
Jianjun Wang
author_facet Youhua Lu
Ye-Guang Fang
Yang Chen
Han Xue
Junqiang Mao
Bo Guan
Jie Liu
Jinping Li
Libo Li
Chongqin Zhu
Wei-Hai Fang
Thomas P. Russell
Jianjun Wang
author_sort Youhua Lu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Current strategies to tailor the formation of nanoparticle clusters require specificity and directionality built into the surface functionalization of the nanoparticles by involved chemistries that can alter their properties. Here, we describe a non-disruptive approach to place nanomaterials of different shapes between nanosheets, i.e., nano-sandwiches, absent any pre-modification of the components. We demonstrate this with metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and silicon oxide (SiO2) nanoparticles sandwiched between graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets, MOF-GO and SiO2-GO, respectively. For the MOF-GO, the MOF shows significantly enhanced conductivity and retains its original crystallinity, even after one-year exposure to aqueous acid/base solutions, where the GO effectively encapsulates the MOF, shielding it from polar molecules and ions. The MOF-GOs are shown to effectively capture CO2 from a high-humidity flue gas while fully maintaining their crystallinities and porosities. Similar behavior is found for other MOFs, including water-sensitive HKUST-1 and MOF-5, promoting the use of MOFs in practical applications. The nanoparticle sandwich strategy provides opportunities for materials science in the design of nanoparticle clusters consisting of different materials and shapes with predetermined spatial arrangements.
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spelling doaj-art-1ab2c9bbcd184b00a8adf876f557850b2025-08-20T03:06:54ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-04-0116111210.1038/s41467-025-56949-wSandwiching of MOF nanoparticles between graphene oxide nanosheets among ice grainsYouhua Lu0Ye-Guang Fang1Yang Chen2Han Xue3Junqiang Mao4Bo Guan5Jie Liu6Jinping Li7Libo Li8Chongqin Zhu9Wei-Hai Fang10Thomas P. Russell11Jianjun Wang12Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Science, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of SciencesCollege of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Theoretical & Computational Photochemistry of Ministry of Education, Beijing Normal UniversityCollege of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Clean and Efficient Coal Utilization, Taiyuan University of TechnologyTechnical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing National Laboratory for Molecular Science, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing National Laboratory for Molecular Science, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing National Laboratory for Molecular Science, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of SciencesCollege of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Clean and Efficient Coal Utilization, Taiyuan University of TechnologyCollege of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Clean and Efficient Coal Utilization, Taiyuan University of TechnologyCollege of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Theoretical & Computational Photochemistry of Ministry of Education, Beijing Normal UniversityCollege of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Theoretical & Computational Photochemistry of Ministry of Education, Beijing Normal UniversityMaterials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryBeijing National Laboratory for Molecular Science, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of SciencesAbstract Current strategies to tailor the formation of nanoparticle clusters require specificity and directionality built into the surface functionalization of the nanoparticles by involved chemistries that can alter their properties. Here, we describe a non-disruptive approach to place nanomaterials of different shapes between nanosheets, i.e., nano-sandwiches, absent any pre-modification of the components. We demonstrate this with metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and silicon oxide (SiO2) nanoparticles sandwiched between graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets, MOF-GO and SiO2-GO, respectively. For the MOF-GO, the MOF shows significantly enhanced conductivity and retains its original crystallinity, even after one-year exposure to aqueous acid/base solutions, where the GO effectively encapsulates the MOF, shielding it from polar molecules and ions. The MOF-GOs are shown to effectively capture CO2 from a high-humidity flue gas while fully maintaining their crystallinities and porosities. Similar behavior is found for other MOFs, including water-sensitive HKUST-1 and MOF-5, promoting the use of MOFs in practical applications. The nanoparticle sandwich strategy provides opportunities for materials science in the design of nanoparticle clusters consisting of different materials and shapes with predetermined spatial arrangements.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56949-w
spellingShingle Youhua Lu
Ye-Guang Fang
Yang Chen
Han Xue
Junqiang Mao
Bo Guan
Jie Liu
Jinping Li
Libo Li
Chongqin Zhu
Wei-Hai Fang
Thomas P. Russell
Jianjun Wang
Sandwiching of MOF nanoparticles between graphene oxide nanosheets among ice grains
Nature Communications
title Sandwiching of MOF nanoparticles between graphene oxide nanosheets among ice grains
title_full Sandwiching of MOF nanoparticles between graphene oxide nanosheets among ice grains
title_fullStr Sandwiching of MOF nanoparticles between graphene oxide nanosheets among ice grains
title_full_unstemmed Sandwiching of MOF nanoparticles between graphene oxide nanosheets among ice grains
title_short Sandwiching of MOF nanoparticles between graphene oxide nanosheets among ice grains
title_sort sandwiching of mof nanoparticles between graphene oxide nanosheets among ice grains
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56949-w
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