Preparation of multi-walled carbon nanotube incorporated MIL-53-Cu composite metal–organic framework with enhanced methane sorption

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) incorporated MIL-53-Cu composite MOF material (MWCNT@MIL-53-Cu) has been synthesized by adding purified multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) in situ during the synthesis of MIL-53-Cu. Resulting sample was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer–Emmet–Teller (BET), and FT-IR analysis. Methane sorption capacities of MIL-53-Cu were observed to increase from 8.52 to 13.72 mmol g−1 at 298 K and 35 bar. The increment in the methane uptake capacities of composite MOF materials was attributed to the decrease in the pore size and enhancement of micropore volume of MIL-53-Cu by multi-walled carbon nanotube incorporation.