Fabrication of novel hybrid nanoflowers from boron nitride nanosheets and metal–organic frameworks: a solid acid catalyst with enhanced catalytic performance

Abstract

A double solvent replacement method was employed for the synthesis of novel hybrid nanoflowers from boron nitride nanosheets (BNNSs) and the metal–organic framework (MOF) MIL-53 in aqueous solutions under hydrothermal treatments. The strong binding ability of aluminum ions onto the surface of BNNSs determines the 3D flowerlike architectures of the BNNSs/MOFs hybrid, and the BNNSs act as a structure-directing template. The BNNSs/MOFs showed an enhanced catalytic activity in the acetalization of benzaldehyde with methanol owing to the facilitated diffusion process in the hierarchical architectures.