The
assembly of two-dimensional (2D) nanosheets into three-dimensional
(3D) well-organized superstructures is one of the key topics in materials
chemistry and physics, due to their potential applications in various
fields. Herein, starting from the crystalline metal–organic
framework (MOF) particles, a spherical superstructure consisting of
metal–organic framework nanosheets (SS-MOFNSs) is synthesized
via a simple solvothermal transformation process. After pyrolysis
and nitrogenization in ammonia, the SS-MOFNSs are further transformed
into the spherical superstructure consisting of boron nitride nanosheets
(SS-BNNSs), which preserve the original spherical superstructure morphology.
Taking advantage of this unique superstructure, the resulting SS-BNNSs
exhibit excellent catalytic activity for selective oxidative dehydrogenation
of propane to produce propylene and ethylene. The results of this
work provide a novel synthetic strategy to fabricate 3D spherical
superstructures consisting of 2D nanosheets for high-performance applications
in catalysis, energy storage, as well as other related fields.