Comparison of UiO-66 Nanoparticles Synthesized via Micro-fluidic vs. Macro-Stationary Routes for Aqueous Phosphate Removal

Ustun B., ÖNEL KAYRAN S.

11th World Congress on Mechanical, Chemical, and Material Engineering, MCM 2025, Paris, France, 19 - 21 August 2025, (Full Text) identifier

  • Publication Type: Conference Paper / Full Text
  • Doi Number: 10.11159/iccpe25.141
  • City: Paris
  • Country: France
  • Keywords: Metal organic framework (MOF), Phosphate removal, Two-phase micro-fluidics, UiO-66
  • Middle East Technical University Affiliated: No

Abstract

Phosphate contamination in wastewater is a critical environmental concern, driving eutrophication. This study investigates the synthesis of zirconium-based UiO-66 metal organic framework (MOF) nanoparticles via conventional macro-stationary batch and droplet-based micro-fluidic systems for phosphate removal from aqueous solutions. Characterization using XRD and SEM revealed that micro-fluidically synthesized UiO-66 nanoparticles exhibited smaller crystallites and higher crystallinity compared to those from the macro-stationary method. Adsorption kinetics followed a pseudo-second-order model and the Freundlich isotherm provided a better fit to the equilibrium data. Thermodynamic analysis indicated a spontaneous physisorption process. Comparative adsorption studies showed that UiO-66 nanoparticles synthesized via the micro-fluidic route demonstrated slightly enhanced phosphate removal efficiency. This work highlights the potential of micro-fluidic synthesis for producing MOF nanoparticles with improved properties for environmental applications.