Metal–organic frameworks articles within Nature Materials

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  • News & Views |

    An important but difficult separation, the removal of carbon monoxide from humid gas mixtures comprising oxygen, nitrogen and hydrocarbons, is addressed by exploiting Cu(I) coordination chemistry and framework flexibility.

    • Michael J. Zaworotko

  • News & Views |

    Processible centimetre-scale porous glasses using zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF) materials are developed, while fine-tuning of the processing conditions allows control of pore size and molecular sieving properties.

    • Georgia R. F. Orton
    •  & Neil R. Champness

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Porosity of zeolitic imidazolate frameworks can be preserved beyond glass transition and melt processing. Here centimetre-scale porous glasses are demonstrated, whereas liquid processing enables fine-tuning of the size of the gas-transporting channels for molecular sieving.

    • Oksana Smirnova
    • , Seungtaik Hwang
    •  & Alexander Knebel

  • Article |

    Chemical adsorption of CO on open metal sites enables separation from other gases but leads to selectivity and stability issues. Quasi-open metal sites in metal–organic frameworks are proposed here, which are accessible only by CO-induced structural transformation, enabling CO separation to 9N purity.

    • Xue-Wen Zhang
    • , Chao Wang
    •  & Jie-Peng Zhang

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Unit-cell-thick films of metal–organic frameworks with ordered porosity would be attractive for membrane applications as these thin systems combine large molecular flux with high selectivity. Here crystalline ZIF films are grown on a crystalline substrate with high H2/N2 gas separation performance.

    • Qi Liu
    • , Yurun Miao
    •  & Kumar Varoon Agrawal

  • News & Views |

    An ultra-microporous metal–organic framework glass foam shows outstanding gas sieving properties for challenging gas mixtures.

    • Chinmoy Das
    •  & Sebastian Henke

  • News & Views |

    A strategy of using a high ligand/metal ion concentration ratio eliminates lattice defects in polycrystalline zirconium metal–organic framework membranes, enhancing their molecular sieving performance.

    • Jun Lu
    •  & Huanting Wang

  • Meeting Report |

    About 700 scientists from 45 countries gathered in Dresden for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic to share their latest findings on metal–organic frameworks and open frameworks compounds.

    • Veronique Van Speybroeck
    •  & Guillaume Maurin

  • News & Views |

    As metal–organic frameworks move towards practical application, data for an expanded range of physical properties are needed. Molecular-level modelling and data science can play an important role.

    • Randall Q. Snurr

  • News & Views |

    Engineering inter-triplet exchange coupling allows spin mixing between singlet and quintet manifolds in triplet–triplet pair states in metal–organic frameworks, demonstrating increased room-temperature triplet-fusion rates under relatively small applied magnetic fields.

    • Naitik A. Panjwani
    •  & Jan Behrends

  • Article |

    Heat capacity of nanoporous materials is important for processes such as carbon capture, as this can affect process design energy requirements. Here, a machine learning approach for heat capacity prediction, trained on density functional theory simulations, is presented and experimentally verified.

    • Seyed Mohamad Moosavi
    • , Balázs Álmos Novotny
    •  & Berend Smit

  • Comment |

    Metal–organic frameworks, porous coordination network materials constructed with metal ions and organic molecules, have grown over the past 20 years into an innovative chemistry that has contributed to solutions for the problems faced by humanity in the environment, resources, energy and health.

    • Satoshi Horike
    •  & Susumu Kitagawa

  • Article |

    Two-dimensional materials can present ferroelectricity by layer sliding, but electrical confirmation is lacking due to narrow bandgaps. Here, a single-crystal coordination polymer with large bandgap enabling direct electrical measurement of P–E hysteresis is shown to present sliding ferroelectricity.

    • Le-Ping Miao
    • , Ning Ding
    •  & Yi Zhang

  • Comment |

    Synthetic stimuli-responsive systems have become increasingly sophisticated and elegant at the nanoscale. This Comment discusses how rationally designed molecular systems capable of dynamic motions can be deployed in macroscopically porous metal–organic frameworks and respond to various stimuli.

    • Jinqiao Dong
    • , Vanessa Wee
    •  & Dan Zhao

  • Article |

    The partial oxidation of CH4 to CH3OH is challenging to perform in artificial systems due to ready over-oxidation to CO and CO2. Here by confining mono-iron hydroxyl sites in a metal–organic framework, photo-oxidation of CH4 to CH3OH is achieved with high selectivity and time yield.

    • Bing An
    • , Zhe Li
    •  & Martin Schröder

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Volatile organic compounds such as benzene are toxic pollutants that cause health issues even at trace concentrations. Here, a double-walled metal–organic framework is presented that demonstrates high uptake at very low pressures (<10 Pa), allowing the removal of benzene to below acceptable indoor limits.

    • Tao He
    • , Xiang-Jing Kong
    •  & Jian-Rong Li

  • Article |

    The oxygen evolution reaction is central to making chemicals and energy carriers using electrons. Metal hydroxide–organic frameworks are shown to act as a tunable catalytic platform for oxygen evolution, with π–π interactions dictating stability and transition metals modulating activity.

    • Shuai Yuan
    • , Jiayu Peng
    •  & Yang Shao-Horn

  • Perspective |

    Highly ordered crystalline porous solids are useful for many applications. This Perspective explores the evolution of these systems from the ordered state to the glassy and liquid states, discusses the different types of porous liquid and considers possible applications of these disordered systems.

    • Thomas D. Bennett
    • , François-Xavier Coudert
    •  & Andrew I. Cooper

  • News & Views |

    Linking π-conjugated, electron-deficient ligands into atomically precise large single crystals of conducting 2D metal–organic frameworks can allow the determination of intrinsic electrical conductivity and charge transport mechanism.

    • Renhao Dong
    •  & Xinliang Feng

  • Article |

    The low dielectric constants and high porosity of MOFs are of interest for applications in electronics and sensors, but patterning techniques for these materials are in their infancy. Here, direct X-ray and electron-beam lithography at sub-50-nm resolution are reported that leave porosity and crystallinity intact.

    • Min Tu
    • , Benzheng Xia
    •  & Rob Ameloot

  • Article |

    Metal–organic framework capture materials could reduce the environmental impact of SO2 emissions but can have limited stability and poor reversibility. Here, a metal–organic framework with open Cu(ii) sites with fully reversible SO2 uptake of 17.5 mmol g−1 under ambient conditions is reported.

    • Gemma L. Smith
    • , Jennifer E. Eyley
    •  & Martin Schröder

  • News & Views |

    A chemically and thermally stable metal–organic framework achieves exceptional separation of styrene from a complex mixture containing larger (ethylbenzene) and smaller (toluene and benzene) molecules.

    • Simon M. Vornholt
    •  & Russell E. Morris

  • Article |

    Molecular sieving separates larger from smaller molecules, but all molecules smaller than the pore adsorb, hindering selectivity. Here, a MOF is reported with both molecular sieving and gate-opening, separating intermediate-sized molecules from larger and smaller analogues.

    • Dong-Dong Zhou
    • , Pin Chen
    •  & Jie-Peng Zhang

  • Article |

    The simultaneous high-pressure and high-temperature phase diagram of two MOFs, ZIF-4 and ZIF-62, is mapped. Crystalline, pressure- and temperature-amorphous, and liquid states are found, while melting temperature is found to decrease with pressure.

    • Remo N. Widmer
    • , Giulio I. Lampronti
    •  & Thomas D. Bennett

  • News & Views |

    A rigid and easily scalable metal–organic framework is shown to be among the most efficient materials for separating ethylene from ethane.

    • Anastasiya Bavykina
    •  & Jorge Gascon

  • Article |

    Separating ethylene from ethane is highly challenging as they have very similar physical properties. Here, a metal–organic framework is reported that, owing to its pore size and rigidity, adsorbs ethylene but almost completely excludes ethane under ambient conditions.

    • Rui-Biao Lin
    • , Libo Li
    •  & Banglin Chen

  • News & Views |

    By inserting potassium into a 3D metal–organic framework band delocalization occurs, enabling mobilities and conductivities similar to organic polymers.

    • A. Alec Talin
    •  & François Léonard

  • Perspective |

    Catalysts for CO2 photo- or electroreduction must balance activity, selectivity and efficiency. Here, the authors discuss the use of metal–organic frameworks for these processes and the role reticular chemistry may play in designing new catalysts.

    • Christian S. Diercks
    • , Yuzhong Liu
    •  & Omar M. Yaghi

  • News & Views |

    A metal–organic framework with tailored porosity provides a mixed matrix membrane with excellent performance for natural gas purification and butane isomer separation.

    • Neil B. McKeown

  • News & Views |

    Diffraction and simulation studies reveal the presence of significant porosity in both the glass and liquid phases of a metal–organic framework.

    • Satoshi Horike
    •  & Susumu Kitagawa

  • News & Views |

    A Pd4 cluster, supported by a metal–organic framework and formed by post-synthesis methods, shows high catalytic activity and selectivity for carbene-mediated reactions. This crystallographically precise material may lead to a large class of catalysts.

    • Dong Yang
    •  & Bruce C. Gates

  • News & Views |

    By combining an electron-counting camera with low-energy transmission electron microscopy, it is possible to directly image the surface structure of delicate metal–organic framework crystals and their coherent interfaces.

    • Ben Slater
    •  & Sanliang Ling

  • News & Views |

    A new report demonstrates an innovative approach to aligning crystallites of metal–organic frameworks such that thin films are created with oriented channels — potentially overcoming one of the major barriers to application of these highly topical materials.

    • Neil R. Champness

  • News & Views |

    Self-assembled transition metal–organic chalcogenide nanowires pave the way to a new family of electron conducting materials with tunable properties.

    • Fernando Rey
    •  & José L. Jordá

  • News & Views |

    By making use of a semiconducting metal–organic graphene analogue, researchers propose a new generation of supercapacitors with potential as tunable molecular materials for energy.

    • Alexandru Vlad
    •  & Andrea Balducci

  • Letter |

    Using MOFs as active electrodes in electrochemical double layer capacitors has so far proved difficult. An electrically conductive MOF used as an electrode is now shown to exhibit electrochemical performance similar to most carbon-based materials.

    • Dennis Sheberla
    • , John C. Bachman
    •  & Mircea Dincă

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