Combining nanoparticles grown by ALD and MOFs for gas separation and catalysis applications

Supported metallic nanoparticles (NPs) are essential for many important chemical processes. In order to implement precisely tuned NPs in miniaturized devices by compatible processes, novel nanoengineering routes must be explored. Atomic layer deposition (ALD), a scalable vapor phase technology typically used for the deposition of thin films, represents a promising new route for the synthesis of supported metallic NPs. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are a new exciting class of crystalline porous materials that have attracted much attention in the recent years. Since the size of their pores can be precisely adjusted, these nanomaterials permit highly selective separation and catalytic processes. The combination of NPs and MOF is an emerging area opening numbers of applications, which still faces considerable challenges, and new routes need to be explored for the synthesis of these NPs/MOF nanocomposites. The aim of this paper is double: first, it aims to briefly present the ALD route and its use for the synthesis of metallic NPs. Second, the combination of ALD-grown NPs and MOFs has been explored for the synthesis of Pd NPs/MOF ZIF-8, and several selected examples were ALD-grown NPs and MOFs have been combined and applied gas separation and catalysis will be presented.