Modulating methane storage in anionic nano-porous MOF materials via post-synthetic cation exchange process.

The post-synthesis cation exchange process of [HDMA]2[Zn2(BDC)3(DMA)2]·6DMF (1) (HDMA(+): dimethylamonnium, BDC(2-): 1,4-benzenedicarboxilate, DMA: dimethylamine and DMF: N,N'-dimethylformamide) anionic MOF with Ni(2+), Cu(2+), Li(+), Na(+) and K(+) ions was investigated by ICP, CHN, XRD, (1)H-NMR and TG analyses. Replacement of the organic cation with the smaller Li(+) ion in 1 leads to an increase in its internal surface area and methane sorption capacity. By the strategy developed here, we were able to prepare ion exchanged MOFs with higher surface area and methane sorption capacity capable of operating at more ambient temperature and pressure.