In this work, we develop a two-step
process for the controlled
growth of a thin layer of a functionalized and photosensitive metal–organic
framework (MOF), namely Ru–Ti–UiO-67, on the surface
of a plate coated with indium tin oxide (ITO), a transparent conductive
oxide (TCO). In the first step, the in situ controlled
growth of a layer of UiO-67-based MOF doped with a photosensitizer
(ruthenium complex), herein referred to as Ru–UiO-67, is carried
out on the surface of the ITO-coated plate, leading to Ru–UiO-67/ITO.
The obtained MOF layer is relatively thin, allowing increased interactions
between the MOF material and the TCO surface, and consists of crystals
in the near-nanometer particle size. In the second step, a postsynthetic
modification (PSM) process is applied to Ru–UiO-67/ITO to integrate
Ti catalytic sites into the MOF framework, leading to Ru–Ti–UiO-67/ITO
(containing both the photosensitizer and catalyst) while maintaining
the MOF’s structure and morphology in addition to its strong
interaction with the substrate. Importantly, on the synthetic level,
this work demonstrates the possibility to form a homogeneous surface
anchored with MOF on a transparent conductive surface, whereby the
obtained MOF layer is strongly bound to the substrate and postsynthetic
chemical modifications are enabled without any loss of material. Furthermore,
the obtained material is proven to exhibit an efficient visible-light-driven
photodegradation activity in aqueous solution.