Growth of preferential orientation of MIL-53(Al) film as nano-assembler

A thin film of MIL-53(Al) on the activated Al slice has been prepared successfully. The crystals in the films exhibit high phase purity and a preferential orientation with straight channel network (or (h0l) planes) of the crystals parallel to the support surface, which are studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The loading of organic (2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-pyridine) (PP) fluorescent molecules in the film has been accomplished. The behaviours of the fluorescent molecules assembled in the pores of the oriented crystals are probed by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and fluorescence spectroscopies.