Synthesis and applications of metal oxide derivatives of ZIF-67: a mini-review

Abstract: Metal–organic framework (MOFs) is a famous family of materials that have massive applications in material developments for diverse fields, including electronics, smart devices, catalysis, sensors, and separation technology. These materials get highlighted due to their defined morphology, structure, porous nature, and very extensive surface area available. There are various subclasses of MOFs, depending upon the metal cation and organic ligand present. ZIF-67 is one of the most extensively utilized MOF for various applications as a soft template. ZIF-67 displays characteristics of high catalytic activity, thermal and chemical stability, tuneable pore size, and so on, thus making it an attractive prospect for a number of research subjects as well as applications on a large scale. Moreover, combining the advantages of ZIF-67 with other components or structures result in compounds having potentially better performance than pure ZIF-67. Metal oxide nanoparticles/ZIF-67 is an emerging class of materials that holds functional distinctive properties. It unites the tailoring porosity of ZIF-67 with the diverse functionality of metal oxide crystalline structure. An extensive range of metal oxides/ZIF-67 have been integrated and their performance evaluated in applications like adsorption, catalysis, sensing, storage, microwave absorption, and so on. This review highlights the recent research fields where metal oxide nanoparticles derived from ZIF-67 have been critically applied, as also their synthesis strategies and morphological differences. Graphic abstract: ZIF-67 and its applications[Figure not available: see fulltext.]