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10616hc_9789813226722_tp.indd 1
Applications of
Elaboration and
Metal-Organic Frameworks
Series on Chemistry, Energy and the Environment
3/11/17 10:54 AM
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The aim of this series on “Chemistry, Energy and the Environment” is to bring
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Applications of
Metal-Organic Frameworks
Edited by
Shengqian Ma
Jason A. Perman
University of South Florida, USA
Series Editors
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University of Houston, USA
Roger Guilard
Université de Bourgogne, France
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vi Preface
Shengqian Ma
Jason A. Perman
Acknowledgments
by 189.234.83.113 on 07/11/22. Re-use and distribution is strictly not permitted, except for Open Access articles.
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The editors thank specifically the hard work done by Briana Aguila, Kia
Williams, Chavis Stackhouse, and Gaurav Verma for their hard work and
outstanding dedication in checking over all of the chapters, and they
acknowledge NSF (DMR-1352065) for their financial support because
without funding entities, research stands still.
vii
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b2530 International Strategic Relations and China’s National Security: World at the Crossroads
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b2980 Elaboration and Applications of Metal-Organic Frameworks
Contents
by 189.234.83.113 on 07/11/22. Re-use and distribution is strictly not permitted, except for Open Access articles.
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Prefacev
Acknowledgmentsvii
ix
x Contents
Contents xi
(O = PR3, R′-PR3)�������������������������������������������� 77
a. Gas Adsorption������������������������������������������ 78
b. Magnetism������������������������������������������������� 82
c. Luminescence�������������������������������������������� 84
7. Phosphinates���������������������������������������������������� 85
a. Gas Adsorption������������������������������������������ 87
b. Magnetism������������������������������������������������� 87
c. Luminescence�������������������������������������������� 90
d. Catalysis����������������������������������������������������� 91
III. MOFs and Porous Coordination Polymers
with Sulfur-Based Ligands���������������������������������������������� 91
A. Sulfur(VI)-Containing MOFs������������������������������������ 91
1. Sulfonate MOFs������������������������������������������������ 91
a. Structural Development/Stability
of Arylsulfonate Frameworks���������������������� 92
b. Proton Conduction in Sulfonate
Frameworks������������������������������������������������ 93
c. Gas Storage with Sulfonate
Frameworks������������������������������������������������ 95
2. Luminescence Found in Sulfonate
Frameworks������������������������������������������������������ 97
a. Nonlanthanide-Based Framework
Luminescence�������������������������������������������� 97
b. Luminescence of Lanthanide-Based
Sulfonate MOFs����������������������������������������� 98
3. Magnetism within Sulfonate Frameworks���������� 98
xii Contents
Frameworks���������������������������������������������� 103
b. Proton Conduction in Sulfonyl
Frameworks���������������������������������������������� 106
c. Gas Sorption of Sulfonyl Frameworks������� 107
d. Luminescent Properties of Sulfonyl
Frameworks���������������������������������������������� 108
e. Magnetism in Sulfonyl Frameworks���������� 109
B. Sulfur(II)-Containing MOFs������������������������������������ 112
1. Thiophenes����������������������������������������������������� 112
a. Structural Studies of Thiophene
Frameworks���������������������������������������������� 114
b. Luminescence of Thiophene Frameworks�� 116
c. Magnetism in Thiophene Frameworks������ 117
2. Thioethers������������������������������������������������������� 118
a. Structural Examples of Thioether
Frameworks���������������������������������������������������119
b. Luminescent Thioether Frameworks��������� 120
c. Magnetic Thioether Frameworks��������������� 123
3. Thiolates��������������������������������������������������������� 124
a. Bonding Properties of Thiolate-Based
Frameworks���������������������������������������������� 124
b. Thiolate Coordination Polymers with
Magnetic Properties��������������������������������� 126
4. Dithiolates������������������������������������������������������ 128
a. Dithiocarbamate�������������������������������������� 128
b. Dithiocarboxylate������������������������������������ 130
IV. Outlook and Conclusions�������������������������������������������� 130
V. References������������������������������������������������������������������� 131
Contents xiii
xiv Contents
Contents xv
xvi Contents
Contents xvii
11 / M
etal-Organic Frameworks as Solid Acid Catalysts
for Heterogeneous Catalysis 441
Sanil E. Sivan, Young Kyu Hwang and Jong-San Chang
List of Abbreviations���������������������������������������������������������� 442
I. Introduction����������������������������������������������������������������� 443
xviii Contents
12 / M
etal-Organic Frameworks-Based Heterogeneous
Catalysts for Biomass Conversion 495
Zhigang Hu and Dan Zhao
List of Abbreviations���������������������������������������������������������� 496
I. Introduction����������������������������������������������������������������� 497
II. Metal-Organic Frameworks-Based Catalysts
for Biomass Conversion����������������������������������������������� 500
A. MOF Catalysts with Lewis Acidity������������������������� 500
B. MOF Catalysts with Brønsted Acidity�������������������� 500
1. Postsynthetic Modification����������������������������� 501
2. Incorporation of External Brønsted Acids�������� 503
3. Direct Synthesis of MOFs with Intrinsic
Brønsted Acidity��������������������������������������������� 503
C. MOFs Loaded with MNPs������������������������������������� 505
1. Hydrogenation����������������������������������������������� 506
2. Hydrodeoxygenation�������������������������������������� 508
3. Oxidation������������������������������������������������������� 510
4. Esterification��������������������������������������������������� 511
III. Summary and Outlook������������������������������������������������� 512
Contents xix
xx Contents
Contents xxi
16 / M
etal-Organic Frameworks as Platforms for the
Nanostructuring of Molecular Magnets 687
Darpandeep Aulakh and Mario Wriedt
List of Abbreviations���������������������������������������������������������� 688
I. Introduction����������������������������������������������������������������� 688
II. Single-Molecule Magnets@MOF Composites��������������� 690
xxii Contents
Index703
of Chemically Stable
Metal-Organic Frameworks
by 65.130.49.243 on 02/05/18. For personal use only.
Table of Contents
List of Abbreviations 2
I. Introduction 3
II. Metals and Ligands 5
A. High Valent Metal Nodes and O-Donor Linkers 5
B. Low Valent Metal Nodes and N-Donor Linkers 15
III. Other Structural Characteristics 20
A. High Connectivity of Metal Nodes and Ligands 20
B. Short Length of Ligands 21
C. Hydrophobic Groups 22
IV. Synthetic Methods 25
A. De Novo Synthesis 25
B. Kinetically Tuned Dimensional Augmentation 26
1
2 Li et al.
List of Abbreviations
Elaboration and Applications of Metal-Organic Frameworks Downloaded from www.worldscientific.com
1,3-H2BDP 1,3-benzenedi(4-pyrazolyl)
1,4-H2BDP 1,4-benzenedi(4-pyrazolyl)
1D one-dimensional
3D three-dimensional
ABTC 3,3′,5,5′-azobenzene tetracarboxylate
by 65.130.49.243 on 02/05/18. For personal use only.
RH relative humidity
SBU secondary building unit
SEM scanning electron microscopy
TATB 4,4′,4″-s-triazine-2,4,6-triyl-tribenzoate
TCPP tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin
TzGal 5,5′-(1,2,4,5-tetrazine-3,6-diyl)bis(benzene-1,2,3-triolate)
by 65.130.49.243 on 02/05/18. For personal use only.
I. Introduction
Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are an emerging class of highly
porous materials, which are constructed from inorganic nodes and organic
linkers. By designing inorganic and organic components, various infinite
three-dimensional (3D) networks can be achieved with high porosity, high
surface area, and low density.1 Because of the diversity and tunability of
their structures, MOFs have been extensively explored, especially their
potential applications in gas storage and separation,2 catalysis,3 chemical
sensing,4 biomedicine,5 and so on. To have good performances and recy-
clability in these applications, the most important property of MOFs is
their robustness, because of which they can survive at various conditions
involved in real applications, such as water exposure, immersion in chem-
icals, or in an in vivo environment. Generally, the stability of MOFs can
be categorized into three aspects: chemical stability, thermal stability, and
mechanical stability.6 They refer to the ability of MOFs to maintain their
structural intactness when they are exposed to chemicals, high tempera-
ture, and mechanical force, respectively.6 This chapter mainly focuses on
the chemical stability of MOFs. In addition, there is also a type of stability
called hydrothermal stability, which refers to the scenario when a MOF is
exposed to water or water vapor at a temperature higher than room tem-
perature. Hydrothermal stability is classified into chemical stability in this
4 Li et al.
book chapter. For readers who are interested in the discussion of thermal
stability and mechanical stability, a comprehensive review by Howarth
et al. is recommended here.6
Due to its abundance on the earth, water is the most readily applied
solvent in industrial and biological activities. Great concerns of the chem-
ical stability of MOFs have been mainly focused on their stability in aque-
Elaboration and Applications of Metal-Organic Frameworks Downloaded from www.worldscientific.com
nodes and organic linkers is one of the main criteria that determines the
stability of MOFs.7 In acidic or basic solutions, the decomposition of
MOFs will become even faster owing to the existence of highly concen-
trated protons or hydroxide ions in the solution. Because of this, research
attention has been focused on synthesizing acid- or base-stable MOFs.
Though numerous papers have already been published on robust
MOFs, there are no concurred standards to assess their chemical stability.
This is mainly because plenty of variables are involved in the process,
such as the type of chemicals (H+, OH−, H2S, or PO43−), the concentration
of the chemical, the temperature of the solution, the time that MOFs are
immersed in the solution, and so on. Often a different set of parameters
are chosen for the stability test of each MOF, making it quite challenging
to compare the robustness of two MOFs.
Two techniques have been widely used to corroborate the stability of
MOFs: powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and porosity analysis with
inert gas. Usually, the PXRD pattern and inert gas uptake are measured
before and after a batch of MOF samples are immersed in a solution for
a period of time. If there is an obvious decrease in the gas uptake and the
intensity of PXRD peaks of the MOF sample, it indicates that the crys-
talline MOF is totally or partly degraded and is not quite stable under the
applied condition.
In this chapter, some representative stable MOFs with impressive robust-
ness in aqueous solutions will be exhibited. Their structural features and the
chemistry accounting for their stability will also be revealed. Finally, some
typical methods to construct chemically robust MOFs will be discussed.
According to the hard and soft acid and base (HSAB) theory, hard Lewis
acids, like high valent metal ions, interact strongly with hard Lewis bases,
such as oxygen-anion-terminated linkers, to form strong bonds. Therefore,
if MOFs are constructed by trivalent or tetravalent metal ions and carbox-
ylate-based ligands, strong coordination bonds between inorganic nodes
and organic linkers will endow the resulting materials with high stability to
by 65.130.49.243 on 02/05/18. For personal use only.
6 Li et al.
Elaboration and Applications of Metal-Organic Frameworks Downloaded from www.worldscientific.com
by 65.130.49.243 on 02/05/18. For personal use only.
Figure 1. (a) Pentagonal and hexagonal windows, and (b) mesoporous cages with
radii of 14.5 and 17 Å, respectively, in MIL-101(Cr). Taken from Ref. 10e with per-
mission of the American Chemical Society.
°C). The samples are put through temperature swings between 40 °C and
140 °C for 40 cycles with 5 h per cycle. Judging from the small decreases
of water capacities and porosities and no discernible changes in the PXRD
patterns, both MIL-100(Fe) and MIL-100(Al) are relatively water-
by 65.130.49.243 on 02/05/18. For personal use only.
Figure 2. (a) Secondary building unit (SBU), (b) supertetrahedron, (c) small mesopore,
and (d) large mesopore in MIL-100(Fe). Hydrogen atoms are omitted for clarity.
Different objects are not drawn to scale. Taken from Ref. 12a with permission of the
Royal Society of Chemistry.
8 Li et al.
Figure 3. (a) Comparison of the ligands in MIL-100 (BTC) and PCN-333 (TATB),
(b) large mesopore, and (c) supertetrahedron in PCN-333. Hydrogen atoms are omit-
ted for clarity. Taken from Ref. 14b with permission of the American Chemical Society.
much smaller than those of other trivalent metal ions, which indicates a far
larger activation energy for ligand dissociation on CrIII, making structural
damages more difficult to occur in CrIII-MOFs than other trivalent MOFs.
Apart from the aforementioned mtn-topology MOFs, robust frame-
works, still based on trivalent metal ions and carboxylate ligands, but
by 65.130.49.243 on 02/05/18. For personal use only.
adopting other topological patterns, have also been created with HSAB
theory, such as the PCN-250 series.17 It consists of 6-connected [Fe2M(µ3-O)]
(M = FeIII, MnII, CoII, NiII, ZnII) building units and rectangular tetratopic
10 Li et al.
Elaboration and Applications of Metal-Organic Frameworks Downloaded from www.worldscientific.com
another group of stable MOFs. Universitetet i Oslo (UiO)-66 is the first ZrIV-
based stable MOF,18 which is ideally comprised of 12-connected Zr6 clusters
and BDC ligands (Figure 6). Because the strength of Zr-oxyanion bond is
very high and the length of BDC ligand is short, the rate of ligand dissocia-
tion (reverse reaction of crystal growth) is very low.15 This leads to a limited
rate of structural reparation in the crystal growth of UiO-66 and makes UiO-
66 often come with a high ratio of deficiency. However, structural defects
have little impact on the chemical stability of UiO-66. It is reported that
UiO-66 is stable in water or moderately acidic solutions (pH = 1).19
After the incipient exploration of synthesizing robust MOFs with
tetravalent metal ions, various stable ZrIV-MOFs have been made subse-
quently.20 Among them, one outstanding example is PCN-222(Fe). (The
metal in the parentheses indicates the element in the porphyrin center
rather than the metal in the constructing inorganic nodes of the MOF.)
PCN-222(Fe) is synthesized through the solvothermal reaction of ZrCl4
Figure 6. Structure of UiO-66. Taken from Ref. 19b with permission of the American
Chemical Society.
12 Li et al.
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by 65.130.49.243 on 02/05/18. For personal use only.
Figure 7. (a) 4-connected Fe-TCPP (blue square), (b) 8-connected Zr6 cluster
(orange cuboid), (c) 1D channel with radius of 3.7 nm (green pillar), (d, e) crystal
structure and underlying network topology of PCN-222(Fe). Atom color legend: Zr
(black), C (gray), O (red), N (blue), and Fe (orange). H atoms are omitted for clarity.
Taken from Ref. 20a with permission of John Wiley and Sons.
NU-1000 is still presumed to be chemically stable and has been studied for
metalation and catalysis.21
It is worth mentioning that not all chemically stable MOFs are discov-
ered by deliberately soaking the material in certain solutions. Sometimes,
they are found along the process of postsynthetic modification of pristine
MOFs. MOF-808 is a typical example to illustrate this point.22 MOF-808
is a Zr-MOF prepared from ZrOCl2·8H2O and H3BTC, in the form of a
6,3-connected 3D network with a spn topology (Figure 9). In 2014, a
sulfated MOF-808 was achieved from the pristine MOF-808 for catalytic
purposes, by submerging the material in aqueous sulfuric acid (0.005–0.1
M) for 1 day. The crystal appearance, PXRD pattern, and porosity of the
sulfated MOF-808 are all remarkably almost identical to those of the pris-
tine MOF, suggesting the strikingly acid tolerance of MOF-808.
All the above examples are related to the stability of MOFs in aqueous
solutions containing H+ or OH−, which may serve as good evaluations of
their structural robustness and performances in acid- or base-involved
14 Li et al.
catalytic reactions. Some interest has been further directed to the bioap-
plications of MOFs, rendering more study on their stability in bioenviron-
ment, for instance, in phosphate buffer saline (PBS). In 2015, Mouchaham
et al. published a paper of a Zr-MOF, MIL-163, using a phenolate ligand
5,5′-(1,2,4,5-tetrazine-3,6-diyl)bis(benzene-1,2,3-triolate) (TzGal) as the
by 65.130.49.243 on 02/05/18. For personal use only.
linker (Figure 10).7a Each TzGal molecule chelates four ZrIV ions, which
affords edge-sharing ZrO8 polyhedra that delineates chains aligned along
the [001] direction.7a Each ZrIV ion is chelated by two pairs of TzGal link-
ers that extend along the [100] and [010] directions, respectively.
Therefore, the Zr-O chains are connected by two groups of orthogonally-
oriented ligands, generating a 3D network with large square-shaped chan-
nels. MIL-163 exhibits extraordinary chemical stability not only in boiling
water but also in a PBS solution (pH = 7.4) at 37 °C. No apparent differ-
ences can be discerned between the PXRD patterns of the sample before
and after immersion in the media for 2 weeks. Usually Zr-MOF are robust
enough to resist boiling water due to the strength of Zr-carboxylate bond,
but rarely can they survive phosphates, which are known to have higher
affinity with ZrIV than carboxylates. To rationalize this peculiar phenom-
enon, two attempted explanations are proposed. Firstly, the strength of
ZrIV-ligand interaction might follow the exact order of 1,2,3-trioxoben-
zene > phosphate > carboxylate > H2O, as suggested by the experimental
results. Secondly, unlike many other Zr-MOFs, there are no μ3-oxo and
-hydroxo bridges in MIL-163, which could act as the weak points to be
attacked by phosphates. Lack of these bridging moieties in the structure
could also serve as a beneficial factor for the ultrastability of MIL-163 in
PBS. Though there are not sufficient experimental or calculated results to
substantiate these explanations, they are still inspiring to design more
chemically stable MOFs in the future.
Similar to the cases of hard Lewis acids and bases, soft Lewis acids and
bases, on the other end of HSAB spectrum, also have strong interactions
in between and can be utilized as metal ions and ligands for construction
of robust MOFs. Typical soft bases are anion N-donor ligands, such as
imidazolate, pyrazolate, triazolate, and are paired with soft acids like CuII,
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16 Li et al.
Elaboration and Applications of Metal-Organic Frameworks Downloaded from www.worldscientific.com
18 Li et al.
Elaboration and Applications of Metal-Organic Frameworks Downloaded from www.worldscientific.com
Figure 13. (a) Structure of H3BTP ligand, (b) a portion of Ni3(BTP)2 structure.
by 65.130.49.243 on 02/05/18. For personal use only.
H atoms are omitted for clarity. Taken from Ref. 30 with permission of the Royal
Society of Chemistry.
20 Li et al.
action with some trivalent metal ion, which is exemplified in the case of
Fe2(BDP)3.33 The MOF is built upon FeIII and a ditopic pyrazolate ligand
BDP2−. The strong FeIII-pyzazolate bonds and high connectivity between
the metal ions and ligands render Fe2(BDP)3 with exceptional stability. It
can survive in boiling aqueous solutions with pH ranging from 2–10 for 2
weeks, which acts as a highly inspiring example.
the metal nodes even after it is displaced due to the tethering from other
attached terminals of the ligand. This creates a very high “effective con-
centration” of the ligand terminal around the defect site. As a result, the
reverse reaction of ligand dissociation, that is, reattach of the ligand to
metal nodes, is extremely rapid, rendering fast structural reparation and
increased stability. If the connectivity of the ligand is higher, this enhanced
Elaboration and Applications of Metal-Organic Frameworks Downloaded from www.worldscientific.com
22 Li et al.
C. Hydrophobic Groups
Water stability of MOFs may also be improved through the addition of
hydrophobic groups in ligands. ZIF-8 is a good example to illustrate this
point.23 It is proposed that the methyl groups on imidazolates can assist in
blocking water molecules from attacking the ZnN4 units. Similarly, in
ZIF-68, -69, -70, the hydrophobic surfaces of these ZIFs also serve the
Elaboration and Applications of Metal-Organic Frameworks Downloaded from www.worldscientific.com
Figure 15. Ligands and MOF structures of BUT-12 (left) and BUT-13 (right). Taken
from Ref. 34 with permission of the American Chemical Society.
phobic. In the cases of BUT-12 and BUT-13, the contact angle of the
frameworks with water are determined to be 138.7° and 118.3°, respec-
tively, classifying both materials as hydrophobic. Water isotherms for both
materials feature hysteresis loops, with low uptakes at low pressures fol-
lowed by large rises in uptakes at high pressures. At low pressures, the
water uptakes of the MOFs are 18.5% and 15.1% of the total water
uptakes for BUT-12 and BUT-13, respectively.34 This suggests strong
Elaboration and Applications of Metal-Organic Frameworks Downloaded from www.worldscientific.com
Figure 16. Schematic representation of the alkyl chain modified IRMOF-3 and
MIL-53(Al). Taken from Ref. 35 with permission of the American Chemical Society.
Fig. 10.
We have now to settle the form, combination, and proportion of the
springs. Springs which are laid on the axle at right angles have to
carry the whole of the weight of the carriage, save only the wheels
and axles. Where other springs are used in addition it is not
necessary that the axle-springs should have much play. It will be
sufficient to give them just so much play as will intercept the
concussion caused by moving over a road. The strength of the
springs must of course be adjusted to the weight they have to carry,
for it is evident that if they be made sufficiently elastic to carry the
weight of six persons, they will be found hard if only three enter the
carriage. This is a disadvantage all carriages must labour under, for
it is ridiculous to suppose that if a carriage is constructed to hold six
that number will always want to use it at the same time. There would
seem to be room for some improvement in the way of introducing
springs adjustable to any weight, though, to give spring-makers their
due, they do turn out really a first-class article in this respect; this is
more noticeable because it is so recent. Light carriages are never so
easy to ride as heavy ones, even when the springs are well adjusted,
because on meeting with an obstacle there is not a sufficient
resistance to the bound or jerk upwards of the spring, which makes
riding in a light carriage over a rough road rather unpleasant.
The position of the front wheels next demands attention. As these
have to turn under the body it requires some skill to fix them, and the
play of the springs, the height of the axletree, and the height of the
arch (the portion of the body under which they turn) have all to be
considered. This will be more particularly described when dealing
with wheel-plates.
The rule for the height of the splinter-bar, to which the traces or
shafts are fixed, is that it should fall on a line drawn from the horse’s
shoulder to the centre of the hind wheel. This, however, is not always
convenient in practice, as the fore wheels regulate the height of the
framing of the under carriage, to which the splinter-bar is fixed. The
distance of the splinter-bar from the central pin, on which the wheel-
plate and fore carriage turn, is regulated by the size of the wheels
and the projection of the driving seat footboard.
All the above particulars are considered when setting out the full-
sized draught, and all points capable of delineation are put on the
board in some convenient part. In Fig. 9 the outline is simply given,
as to show everything would only confuse the reader. Such other
details as are required are filled in after the draught has reached the
stage shown in the figure.
It is most necessary for the safe conduct of a coach and carriage
builder’s business that there should be a goodly stack of well-
seasoned timber of the various kinds required, otherwise great
trouble and vexation will arise in the course of business from a good
piece of timber being perhaps spoilt in working, and there not being
another piece in the factory to replace it.
Where there is sufficient accommodation it is usual for makers to
season their own timber in specially constructed sheds, which are
kept from bad weather, but at the same time thoroughly well
ventilated. In these the timber is stacked, with small fillets between
each plank or board, to insure a free current of air circulating all
round. One year should be allowed for seasoning for every inch of
thickness in the timber, and none should be used in which this rule
has not been observed.
Thin portions of timber, such as panel stuff and the like, should be
treated in the same way, and in addition the ends should be secured
to prevent splitting. The panel stuff undergoes another process of
seasoning after it is planed up; in fact, all the thin timber required for
roofs, sides, &c., does. And about the first thing done in commencing
to build a carriage is for the body-maker to get his thin stuff ready, as
far as planing it up goes, and then to put it aside in some moderately
dry place, with slips of wood between each board to allow a
circulation of air round them. The other stuff that is likely to be
required should also be selected and put aside. If all these things be
strictly attended to, there is not likely to be much trouble about bad
joints; and it will be to the employer’s interest to look after such
workmen who have not enough scientific knowledge to see the
reason of things themselves, and put them in the right direction. But
an intelligent workman will soon appreciate the advantage of getting
his stuff ready at the commencement, instead of waiting till he wants
to use it.
The parts composing the body may be thus enumerated:—
The frame or case.
The doors.
The glasses, which are fixed in thin frames of wainscot, covered
with cloth or velvet. It is a very good thing to have india-rubber for
these to fall on, and little india-rubber buffers would prevent them
from rattling.
The blinds, which are sometimes panel, but more generally
Venetian, so adjusted with springs that the bars may stand open at
any required angle.
The curtains, of silk, which slide up and down on spring rollers.
The lining and cushions, of cloth, silk, or morocco, as the case
may be, ornamented with lace, &c. The cushions are sometimes
made elastic with small spiral springs.
The steps, which are made to fold up and fit into recesses in the
doors, or in the bottom, when they are not in use.
The lamps, which are fixed to the fore part of the body by means
of iron stays.
The boot, on which is carried the coachman’s seat.
In carriages suspended from C springs we have in addition:—
The check-brace rings, to which are attached leather braces from
the spring heads, to prevent the body from swinging too much
backwards and forwards.
The collar-brace rings, to which are attached leather braces from
the perch, to prevent the body swinging too much upwards or
sideways.
The curve or rounding given to the side of the body from end to
end is called the side-cant, and the rounding from the top to the
bottom the turn-under. Some makers arrive at this curve by framing
the skeleton of the body together with square timber, and then round
these off to the required curve after they are put together. It must be
evident to any one that this proceeding will greatly strain the joints,
and under any circumstances will never give thorough satisfaction or
good results, and the waste of time and material must be very
considerable.
The proper way is to set the curve out beforehand on a board
called the “cant” board, and the method of doing this is as follows:—
Take a clean pine board, plane it up to a smooth surface. Shoot
one edge perfectly true with a trying-plane. This straight edge may
be taken to represent the side of the carriage if it were a straight line.
Apply this edge to the full-sized draught, and mark along it the
various parts of the body (see Fig. 8, in which the numbered points
are those required to form the side-cant). By means of these points
the required sweep can be set up or drawn, as shown by the dotted
line C in the figure. Now, if you choose, you can cut away the portion
between A and B, and a template will be formed to which the
constructional timbers can be cut; and it possesses the advantage of
being easily applied to the carriage as it proceeds, to see that the
curve is true and uniform. As this template forms the pattern to which
the timber, &c., is cut, great care is requisite in forming it, so that it
shall be perfectly true.
In order to get the turn-under, the same process is gone through
on another board. This gives what is called the “standing” pillar
pattern, the standing pillar being the upright timber to which the door
is hinged.
There is no rule in particular for determining the amount of side-
cant or turn-under to be given to a vehicle, 2½ or 3 inches on each
side making the outside width of the body; 5 or 6 inches less at the
bottom than at the elbow line is a usual allowance, but this is entirely
dependent on the will or taste of the workman.
The cant-board described above is one having a “concave”
surface; but it quite as often has a convex surface, and it is just as
well to have one of each, and use the convex for cutting the timbers
to, and the concave for trying them when in place, though, if this be
done, it is imperative that the curves on the two boards should be
one and the same. The same remarks apply to the standing pillar
pattern.
The body is a species of box, fitted with doors and windows, and
lined and wadded for the purpose of comfort. As the greatest amount
of strain is put upon the bottom part, and the forces acting on the
other parts are transmitted to the bottom, it is necessary that it
should be very strongly put together. The two side bottom timbers
are bonded, or tied together, by two cross timbers called bottom
bars, which are firmly framed into them. To give depth to the floor,
without destroying the symmetry of the side, deep pieces of elm
plank are fixed to the inside of the side bottom pieces, and to these
the flooring-boards are nailed, being additionally secured by iron
strap plates, nailed or screwed beneath them. In the central portion
of the bottom sides are framed the door-posts, called standing
pillars. At the angles of the bottom framework are scarfed the corner
pillars. The cross framing pieces, which connect the pillars, are
called rails. Two of these rails stretch across the body inside, on
which the seats are formed; these are called seat rails. The doors
are framed double, to contain a hollow space for the glasses and
blinds, and they are fastened by means of a wedge lock, forced into
a groove by a lever handle. There is a window in each door and one
in front of an ordinary carriage, say a brougham. The doors are
hinged with secret or flush hinges.
Before cutting the timber to the various sizes required, patterns or
templates of all the parts are made in thin wood from the full-sized
draught; also of the various curves likely to be given to the different
parts of the body.
Before a workman could be trusted with the making of a body, he
must of course have considerably advanced in the knowledge of his
craft beyond the mere use of his tools, because the success of a
carriage depends very largely upon the individual skill of the
workman, more so than perhaps in any other trade.
The stuff is marked out from the thin patterns before mentioned by
means of chalk, and in doing so care should be taken to lay the
patterns on the timber so that the grain may run as nearly as
possible in a line with it, and thus obtaining the greatest possible
strength in the wood, which lies in the direction of the grain. Thus if
the pattern be straight, lay it down on a piece of straight-grained
timber; if the pattern sweep round, then get a piece of timber the
grain of which will follow, or nearly follow, the line of pattern.
The strongest timber that can be obtained is necessary for the
construction of the hind and front bottom sides; for the weight is
directly transmitted to these, more particularly the hind bottom sides,
where the pump-handles are fixed.
The body-maker, having marked and cut out the various pieces of
timber he will require, planes a flat side to each of them, from which
all the other sides, whether plain or curved, are formed and finished.
They are then framed and scarfed together, after which the various
grooves are formed for the panels and rebates, for the floor-boards
to fit on to. Then, if there is to be any carved or beaded work, it is
performed by the carver. Previous to being fitted in, some of the
panels have strong canvas glued firmly on their backs, and when
fitted in blocks are glued round the internal angles to give greater
security to the joints, and to fix the panels firmly in their places.
Before the upper panels are put in, the roof is nailed on, and all the
joints stuck over with glued blocks inside. The upper panels are then
put on, united at the corners, and blocked inside.
If the foreman who superintends all this be a thoroughly skilful
artisan, and the men under him possess equal intelligence and skill,
the work might be distributed amongst almost as many men as there
are parts in the framework of the body. These parts will be worked
up, the mortises and tenons, the rabbets and tongues, being all cut
to specified gauges; and when they are all ready it will be found that
they go together like a Chinese puzzle.
The woodwork being completed, the currier now takes the body in
hand, and a hide of undressed leather, specially prepared for it, is
strained over the roof, the back, and the top quarters of the body
whilst in a soft pulpy state, and carefully sleeked or flattened down till
it is perfectly flat. This sleeking down is a rather tedious process, and
takes a long time and a great amount of care to bring it to a
successful issue; when it is flattened down satisfactorily, it is nailed
round the edges and left to dry, which will take several days.
Such panels as require bending may be brought to the required
sweep by wetting one side and subjecting the other to heat, as of a
small furnace.
The doors are now made and hinged, and the hollow spaces
intended to hold the glasses and blinds are covered in with thin
boards, to prevent any foreign matter from getting down into the
space, and being a source of trouble to dislodge.
In constructing the body the aid of the smith is called in. His
services are required to strengthen the parts subjected to great
strain, more particularly the timbers forming the construction of the
lower portion. All along each side of the body should be plated with
iron; this should be of the best brand and toughest quality. It is
several inches wide, and varies from ¼ to ¾ of an inch in thickness.
This is called the “edge plate,” and is really the backbone of the
body, for everything depends on its stability. It should run from one
extremity to the other, commencing at the hind bottom bar, on to
which it should be cranked, and ending at the front part of the front
boot, bottom side. This plate should take a perfectly flat bearing at
every point. Great care must be taken in fitting it, for although the
plate may be of the requisite strength the absence of this perfect
fitting will render it comparatively weak, the result of which will be
found, when the carriage is completed and mounted on the wheels,
by the springing of the sides, which will cause the pillars of the body
to press on the doors, and it will be a matter of great difficulty to
open them.
In the application of smith’s work to coach-building, it is often
necessary to fit the iron to intricate parts while it is red hot, and if due
precaution be not taken the wood becomes charred and useless,
and in cases where there are glued joints it may cause the loosening
or breaking of these joints and other material defects. It is an easy
matter to have the means at hand to get over the difficulty. All that is
necessary is to have handy some heat neutraliser. One of the
commonest things that can be used is chalk, and no smith’s shop
should ever be without it. If chalk is rubbed over the surface to which
the hot iron is to be applied it will not char or burn. Plaster of Paris is
a still more powerful heat neutraliser, and it is freer from grit. A small
quantity of the plaster mixed with water, and worked up to the proper
consistency, will be ready for use in about two hours. Many smiths
will say that they never have any accidents in applying heated iron,
but on inquiry the reason is apparent, for it will generally be found
that such men use chalk, in order to see that the iron plate takes its
proper bearings, thus inadvertently using a proper heat neutraliser. If
it were more generally known that the difficulty could be met by such
simple means, there would be less material spoilt in the smith’s
shop.
It has been very common of late years for body-makers to use
glue instead of screws and nails for panel work, &c.; but it requires a
great deal of experience for a man to use glue with successful
results. It is useless for the tyro to try it; he will only spoil the work.
So, unless the artisan be well experienced in the treatment and
application of glue, he had better leave it alone. To render the
operation successful two considerations must be taken into account.
First: To do good gluing requires that the timber should be well
seasoned and the work well fitted. Second: In preparing for gluing
use a scratch plane or rasp to form a rough surface of the pieces to
be joined together, for the same purpose that a plasterer scores over
his first coat of plaster-work, in order to give a key or hold. The shop
in which the gluing is done should be at a pretty good temperature,
and so should the material, so that the glue may flow freely. Having
the glue properly prepared, spread it upon the parts, so as to fill up
the pores and grain of the wood, and put the pieces together; then
keep the joints tight by means of iron cramps where it is possible,
and if this cannot be done the joints must be pushed tightly up, and
held till the glue is a little set and there is no fear of its giving way. All
superfluous glue will be forced out by this pressure and can be
cleaned off.
A great cause of bad gluing is using inferior glue and laying it on
too thick. Before using a new quality of glue, the body-maker should
always test it by taking, say a piece of poplar and a piece of ash, and
glue them together, and if when dry the joints give way under
leverage caused by the insertion of the chisel, the glue is not fit for
the purposes of carriage-building and should be rejected. With good
glue, like good cement, the material should rather give way than the
substance promoting adhesion. This is a very severe test, but in
putting it into practice you will be repaid by the stability of your work.
Waterproof Glue.