Hollow Pd/MOF Nanosphere with Double Shells as Multifunctional Catalyst for Hydrogenation Reaction

A new type of hollow nanostructure featured double metal-organic frameworks shells with metal nanoparticles (MNPs) is designed and fabricated by the methods of ship in a bottle and bottle around the ship. The nanostructure material, hereinafter denoted as Void@HKUST-1/Pd@ZIF-8, is confirmed by the analyses of photograph, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, inductively coupled plasma, and N₂ sorption. It possesses various multifunctionally structural characteristics such as hollow cavity which can improve mass transfer, the adjacent of the inner HKUST-1 shell to the void which enables the matrix of the shell to host and well disperse MNPs, and an outer ZIF-8 shell which acts as protective layer against the leaching of MNPs and a sieve to guarantee molecular-size selectivity. This makes the material eligible candidates for the heterogeneous catalyst. As a proof of concept, the liquid-phase hydrogenation of olefins with different molecular sizes as a model reaction is employed. It demonstrates the efficient catalytic activity and size-selectivity of Void@HKUST-1/Pd@ZIF-8.