Nanoparticle encapsulation into 2D layered metal-organic frameworks with capping agent free interface

Abstract The porous 2D metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) possess 1D channels derived from the stacking sequence of the 2D layers. The nanoparticles (NPs)@2D MOFs core-shell structures are potential composites catalysts in exposing more accessible active sites via 1D channels, in addition to enriching the reactants in the porous structure as normal MOFs. Here we present a novel and universal strategy for embedding pre-synthesized metal NP into the 2D MOFs, forming a fully encapsulated compact core-shell structure. The method has proven to be versatile not only for embedding NPs with different metals and morphologies but also for 2D MOFs with different nodes and linkers. Various characterization methods, including powder X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, etc. Have been used to elaborate the mechanism of this encapsulation process, through which an attractive and promising ‘clean’ interface can be obtained.