This work details the development of a cotton fabric functionalized with UiO-66-NH2 metal–organic framework (MOF). The materials were made by seeding the growth of the MOF on the cotton by first bonding zirconium (Zr) to the surface of the fabric utilizing cyanuric chloride modified with a thiol. After seeding the fabrics with Zr, UiO-66-NH2 was grown on the fabric using a hydrothermal method. Several different routes of attaching Zr to cyanuric chloride were examined. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) data are consistent with UiO-66-NH2, and the fabrics have surface areas between 45 and 125 m2/g depending on the synthetic conditions used to produce the materials. The functionalized cotton reacts with dimethyl 4-nitrophenyl phosphate (DMNP), a chemical nerve agent simulant, as monitored by UV–vis spectroscopy. The results illustrate that MOF–fiber composites can be created using natural fibers, and the resulting composites provide similar chemical warfare agent (CWA) simulant reactivity as observed on composites of MOFs and synthetic polymers..

Reactive dyes conventionally used to chemically bind chromophores to fabrics have been used to develop a platform technology that can modify commercially available fibers with nanoscale structures. To illustrate this concept, commercial nylon and cellulose fibers have been modified with gold nanoparticles of three sizes, metal organic framework (MOF) crystals, and quantum dots in five sizes. The gold modified cellulose and nylon samples have colors that vary based on the size of the gold particles, and the particles remained attached to the fibers, even after being washed with solvents, water, and soap. The MOF was grown on the fibers after applying reactive dyes to anchor the metal building unit to the fibers, and the process produced cellulose fibers with surface areas of ∼980 m2/g. Both the nylon and cellulose MOF modified fabrics show preferential adsorption of ethylene over ethane and the ability to adsorb ammonia from air. Quantum dot modified nylon and cellulose fibers have fluorescent properties consistent with the unbound particles and remained attached to the fibers after washing with organic solvents, water, and soap. Applications are broad, and this work provides a first step at coupling conventional dyes and nanotechnology.

Ionic liquid based fiber welding has been used to attach the metal−organic framework (MOF) UiO-66-NH 2 to cotton fibers. The results show that by controlling the extent of the welding process, it is possible to produce fibers that contain a high surface area (approximately 50−100 m 2 / g), an X-ray diffraction pattern consistent with UiO-66-NH 2 , and fibers that are chemically reactive to dimethyl 4-nitrophenyl phosphate (DMNP), a common chemical weapon simulant. The ionic liquid/MOF welding solution can be applied by directly placing the fabric in the welding solution or by utilizing an airbrushing technique. Both welding techniques are shown to be scalable with results collected on approximately 1 × 1, 5 × 5, and 15.5 × 15.5 in. swatches. The results are also applicable to weaving methods where the MOF is welded to individual threads and subsequently woven into a textile. The results provide an industrially scalable method of attaching a wide variety of MOFs to cotton textiles, which does not require synthesizing the MOF in the presence of the textile.