Electrochemical Conversion of Cu Nanowire Arrays into Metal-Organic Frameworks HKUST-1

Abstract

We explore the conversion of free-standing Cu nanowire arrays produced by electrodeposition in polymer etched ion-track membranes into metal-organic frameworks KHUST-1 by electrochemical oxidation. HKUST-1 particles are built up when the as-formed Cu2+ ions bind to the benzene tricarboxylic acid ligands (BTC3−) in the electrolyte solution. The morphology and crystallinity of the samples at different transformation stages are investigated by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. X-ray diffraction data taken at different conversion times confirm the formation of HKUST-1 particles. The conversion process resulted in octahedral structures of several μm in size. Comparison of the Raman spectra with the band positions derived from density functional theory (DFT) calculations, suggests that vibrations involving Cu atoms appear only below 490 cm−1 wavenumbers and involve the entire HKUST-1 lattice rather than vibrations of single bonds.