Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs)
have attracted a lot of
attention in various applications such as molecular separation, catalysis,
and gas delivery, due to their unique properties such as controllable
structure, significantly specific surface area, and extensive porosity.
However, conventional synthesis methods yield powdered MOFs, which
cannot be directly used in the adsorption separation process due to
such limitations as a high pressure drop, low mass transfer rate,
and poor recyclability with scattering tendencies. Thus, it is crucial
for practical applications to shape MOFs into various monoliths that
allow an efficient processing, especially for industrial purposes.
The existing forming methods are used to shape MOFs into films, pellets,
tablets, gels, and honeycomb forms. At the same time, the shaping
processes are generally accompanied by varying degrees of performance
degradation of the original MOFs material, which is manifested in
terms of loss of its adsorption capacity by a decrease in the specific
surface area and porosity. Consequently, it is important to shape
MOF monoliths into the appropriate shapes, mechanical strength, and
stability, as well as to prevent the loss of the original properties
in industrial applications. This paper reviews various strategies
for shaping MOFs and discusses the impact of the shaping process on
the properties of the MOFs as compared to their pristine powder form.
It is believed this review will facilitate the industrial application
of MOFs in gas processing applications.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.