Shape Controlled Hierarchical Porous Hydrophobic/Oleophilic Metal-Organic Nanofibrous Gel Composites for Oil Adsorption

Researchers report a facile one-pot synthesis under solvothermal conditions of hydrophobic/oleophilic composite gels denoted as FGO@MOG. Fluorinated grapheme oxide (FGO)+ is hybridized with an Al-based MOG, comprised of Al³ cations and 1,3,5-benzene-tricarboxylate. The as-prepared FGO@MOG reveals a complex 3D fibrillary micro/meso network where FGO acts as a structure directing agent. The composite morphology emerged synergistically and is very different from the features of the inherent components MOG and FGO. This is assigned to the selective and controlled growth of metal-organic framework (MOF) nanoparticles (MOF-NP) on oxygen functionalities of FGO acting as coordinating modulating agent.