Tuning the crystal morphology and size of zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 in aqueous solution by surfactants

Herein we report a facile synthesis method using surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as a capping agent for controlling the crystal size and morphology of zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) crystals in aqueous systems. The particle sizes can be precisely adjusted from ca. 100 nm to 4 μm, and the morphology can be changed from truncated cubic to rhombic dodecahedron.