Alginate Hydrogel: A Shapeable and Versatile Platform for in Situ Preparation of Metal–Organic Framework–Polymer Composites

This work reports a novel in situ growth approach for incorporating metal-organic framework (MOF) materials into an alginate substrate, which overcomes the challenges of processing MOF particles into specially shaped structures for real industrial applications. The MOF-alginate composites are prepared through the post-treatment of a metal ion cross-linked alginate hydrogel with a MOF ligand solution. MOF particles are well distributed and embedded in and on the surface of the composites. The macroscopic shape of the composite can be designed by controlling the shape of the corresponding hydrogel; thus MOF-alginate beads, fibers, and membranes are obtained. In addition, four different MOF-alginate composites, including HKUST-1-, ZIF-8-, MIL-100(Fe)-, and ZIF-67-alginate, were successfully prepared using different metal ion cross-linked alginate hydrogels. The mechanism of formation is revealed, and the composite is demonstrated to be an effective absorbent for water purification.