A bismuth-based metal-organic framework with potential application in organic pollutant removal

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with structural diversity and functional versatility have shown great potential in many fields. In this work, we proposed the utilization of the good biocompatibility and photoactivity of bismuth to construct new MOFs with potential application in high-performance photocatalysis. A new bismuth-based MOF, Bi-MOF720-1, was successfully synthesized using bismuth nitrate pentahydrate as the metal source and 9,10-anthracenedicarboxylic acid (H₂ADC) as the organic ligand. Single-crystal structure analysis revealed that Bi-MOF720-1 is a two-dimensional network and crystallizes in the space group of R3̄. This MOF featured Bi³⁺ ions in a distorted nine-coordinate geometry and exhibited a hexagonal grid topology with a net symbol of hcb and a point symbol of {6³}. Furthermore, the material exhibited high phase purity and could effectively remove rhodamine B from aqueous solutions. Leveraging the synergistic effect of adsorption and photocatalysis, it achieved a degradation efficiency as high as 96.48% within 60 minutes while demonstrating a strong adsorption capacity for various dyes. These results highlight the excellent dye removal performance and promising potential of Bi-MOF720-1 for organic pollutant treatment.