Selective Growth and MOCVD Loading of Small Single Crystals of MOF-5 at Alumina and Silica Surfaces Modified with Organic Self-Assembled Monolayers

Thin polycrystalline films of phase-pure MOF-5 were grown directly from supersaturated MOF-5 mother solutions on suitably pretreated alumina and silica substrates. The surface acid/base properties characterized by the isoelectric point of the bare substrates controls the anchoring of MOF-5 nuclei. In addition to COOH-terminated SAMs on SiO 2, ALD-Al 2 O 3 proved to be a very good adhesive for selective MOF-5 growth. The adsorption properties of the deposited MOF films on Al 2 O 3 substrates were demonstrated by MOCVD loading with [(η 5 -C 5 H 5 )Pd(η 3 -C 3 H 5 )] as Pd precursor to finally yield the palladium-loaded thin film material {Pd@MOF-5}/Al 2 O 3 as a model of a variety of conceivable MOF-based functional chemical systems at surfaces.