Coprecipitation

Engineering

Yield (engineering)

Metallurgy

Materials science

Particle size

Solvent

Inorganic chemistry

Chemical engineering

Organic chemistry

Imidazole

Composite material

Crystallography

Chemistry

Crystallinity

Ethanol

Microporous and Mesoporous Materials

Microfluidic synthesis of a Zeolitic-Imidazole Framework ZIF-67 at ambient temperature and pressure is reported. With a metal/ligand/triethylamine (TEA) ratio of 1/4/4, ZIF-67 can be produced with a high space-time yield (STY) of 57000 kg m−3 d−1 and a production rate of 285 g h−1 in ethanol. It can be produced with a similar STY in water solution as well. Given the importance of sustainable synthesis, the recycling process of the mother liquor was investigated. The mother liquor can be recycled 5 times with high yield and crystallinity in ethanol, but not applicable in water solution. The morphology and particle sizes of ZIF-67 can be regulated in a controlling manner in a water-ethanol mixed solvent. Moreover, the influence of TEA on the characteristic of the ZIF-67 structure was investigated in detail.

Continuous synthesis of ZIF-67 by a microchannel mixer: A recyclable approach