Synthesis, characterization, and physicochemical properties of Zn-based metal-organic frameworks: Nd-doping effects and comparative analysis of microwave vs. hydrothermal techniques

Abstract This study explores the synthesis and characterization of Nd-doped Zn-based metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) via microwave (Zn-MOF-M) and hydrothermal (Zn-MOF-A) methods. Nd incorporation influenced structural and physicochemical properties including reduced thermal stability and surface area as shown by TGA and BET analyses. The BET surface area of Zn-MOF-M decreased from 41.0 m 2 /g to 19.3 m 2 /g after Nd doping, while Zn-MOF-A showed a decrease from 15.6 m 2 /g to 9.98 m 2 /g. TGA revealed earlier decomposition in Zn/Nd-MOF-M (at 259 °C) compared with its pristine counterpart (at 409 °C), whereas the hydrothermal series retained higher stability up to 435 °C. XPS confirmed elemental changes such as decreased Zn content (from 9.54% in Zn-MOF-M to 8.34% in Zn/Nd-MOF-M) and altered bonding environments of oxygen and nitrogen. These results highlight the impact of Nd-doping and synthesis technique on MOF performance which could offer insights into the tunability of MOF properties for contribution to materials chemistry and solid-state physics. Graphical Abstract