Solid-state synthesis of zinc oxide nano-structures with similar morphologies to their precursors and metal–organic frameworks topology

The apohost samples of two metal–organic frameworks of [Zn2(1,4-bdc)2(H2O)2·(DMF)2] n (1·H2O·DMF) and [Zn2(1,4-bdc)2(dabco)]·4DMF·1⁄2H2O (2·H2O·DMF), (1,4-bdc = benzene-1,4-dicarboxylate, dabco = 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2] octane and DMF = N,N-dimethylformamide) were used for the preparation of ZnO nanomaterials. [Zn2(1,4-bdc)2] (1) with two-dimensional grids in the crystal structure formed nano-sheet morphology and [Zn2(1,4-bdc)2(dabco)] (2) with three-dimensional layered-pillared framework in the crystal structure formed micro-rod morphology. The morphology of the apohost samples has direct influence on the morphology of resulting ZnO nanomaterials and they can be used as templates in the formation of ZnO nanostructures with desirable morphologies.