Scalability of Continuous Flow Production of Metal–Organic Frameworks

Abstract

Achieving the large-scale production of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) is crucial for their utilization in applied settings. For many MOFs, quality suffers from large-scale, batch reaction systems. We have developed continuous processes for their production which showed promise owing to their versatility and the high quality of the products. Here, we report the successful upscaling of this concept by more than two orders of magnitude to deliver unprecedented production rates and space-time-yields (STYs) while maintaining the product quality. Encouragingly, no change in the reaction parameters, obtained at small scale, was required. The production of aluminium fumarate was achieved at an STY of 97 159 kg m(-3) day(-1) and a rate of 5.6 kg h(-1) .

Recent advances in process engineering and upcoming applications of metal–organic frameworks

“…(c) SEM images of Al-Fumarate crystals synthesized by different volume of tubular reactor. Reproduced with permission from [128] . Copyright 2016 John Wiley and Sons.…”

Systematic study of the impact of MOF densification into tablets on textural and mechanical properties

“…Less than 20 years after their discovery, commercial applications of Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) have recently been announced. 1 We have also acknowledged in the very last years the development of pilot line production processes, such as continuous processes using water as solvent at atmospheric pressure, 2 under hydrothermal conditions, 3 or even solvent free. 4 Thanks to the demonstration of these scalable pilot lines and others, commercial applications of MOF will expand without any doubts.…”

Adsorption and Detection of Hazardous Trace Gases by Metal–Organic Frameworks

“…Other examples for high space time yield methods are spray drying and flow chemistry (continuous flow reactions), showing that there is no general difference in the feasibility of MOF production compared with the production of other chemical products synthesized in ton amounts.…”