Cost Estimation of the Sustainable Production of MIL-100(Fe) at Industrial Scale from two upscaled synthesis routes

Understanding the impact of MOF synthesis conditions on the production cost is vital in order to have a competitive product in a view of industrial applications. Here, considering the benchmark mesoporous iron(III) trimesate MIL-100(Fe) as a prototypical example, we show that the production cost can reach <30 $/kg if a careful selection of the synthetic route is made. Two routes were considered in the analysis, using sulfate and nitrate as iron sources. A new optimized synthesis protocol in a laboratory pilot-scale reactor of 5 liters based on iron sulfate was developed using optimized sustainable ambient pressure conditions, leading to larger particles and a higher STY. Based on reliable pilot-scale data and established chemical engineering estimation methods, this leads to a significantly low production cost of high quality MIL-100(Fe) achieving a potential competitive product.