Fabrication of 2D metal–organic framework nanosheets with tailorable thickness using bio-based surfactants and their application in catalysis

Ultrathin metal-organic framework (MOF) nanosheets were fabricated by a surfactant-mediated coordination strategy through a pseudo-assembly process. The thickness of the nanosheets could be tuned from 3 nm to 60 nm by varying the hydrophobic chain length of the surfactant. Ru nanoparticles supported on the nanosheets exhibited superior catalytic activity for hydrogenation of levulinic acid to -valerolactone.