Using genetic algorithms to systematically improve the synthesis conditions of Al-PMOF.


Type
Article
Change log
Authors
Moosavi, Seyed Mohamad 
Talirz, Leopold 
Jablonka, Kevin Maik 
Ireland, Christopher P 
Abstract

The synthesis of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) is often complex and the desired structure is not always obtained. In this work, we report a methodology that uses a joint machine learning and experimental approach to optimize the synthesis conditions of Al-PMOF (Al2(OH)2TCPP) [H2TCPP = meso-tetra(4-carboxyphenyl)porphine], a promising material for carbon capture applications. Al-PMOF was previously synthesized using a hydrothermal reaction, which gave a low throughput yield due to its relatively long reaction time (16 hours). Here, we use a genetic algorithm to carry out a systematic search for the optimal synthesis conditions and a microwave-based high-throughput robotic platform for the syntheses. We show that, in just two generations, we could obtain excellent crystallinity and yield close to 80% in a much shorter reaction time (50 minutes). Moreover, by analyzing the failed and partially successful experiments, we could identify the most important experimental variables that determine the crystallinity and yield.

Description
Keywords
3402 Inorganic Chemistry, 34 Chemical Sciences
Journal Title
Commun Chem
Conference Name
Journal ISSN
2399-3669
2399-3669
Volume Title
5
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Sponsorship
Swiss National Science Foundation (195155)