Metal Organic Frameworks

Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) are crystalline porous materials constructed from metal ions or clusters linked by organic ligands into extended three-dimensional networks. Their defining features—exceptionally high internal surface areas, tunable pore architectures and modular chemistry—have made them a focal point across fields as diverse as gas storage, separation, catalysis, sensing and energy storage. In MOFs, inorganic secondary building units (SBUs) provide sites for strong coordination bonds, while multifunctional organic linkers dictate pore size, shape and chemical environment. The combination yields materials in which guest molecules can be selectively adsorbed, transported or transformed. By appropriate choice of metal node, linker functionality and synthetic conditions, MOFs can be tailor-made for target applications such as hydrogen or methane storage under moderate pressures, carbon dioxide capture from flue gases, heterogeneous catalysis of fine-chemical syntheses, or as hosts for light-harvesting and catalytic centres. Beyond these uses, MOFs have been developed as active components in solid-state electrolytes, in photocatalytic and electrocatalytic devices, and in biomedical delivery and imaging platforms. The capacity to post-synthetically modify pore surfaces, incorporate multiple active sites or form composites further extends their functional reach, positioning MOFs as a versatile materials platform for tackling challenges in sustainable energy, environmental remediation and chemical manufacture.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Sub-nanometre confinement within metal-organic framework channels has been harnessed to produce a quasi-solid electrolyte that immobilises solvent molecules in 6.5 Å pores while preserving liquid-like ion dynamics. When incorporated into lithium-metal pouch cells with high-loading cathodes, this electrolyte delivers over 89 % capacity retention after 300 cycles at 90 °C and suppresses dendrite formation, illustrating how MOF-based confinement can reconcile high ionic conductivity with non-flammability and interfacial stability at elevated temperatures.

An innovative approach to hierarchical porous photosensitisers has been achieved by co-assembling hydrogen-donative chromophores and complementary acceptor units into two-dimensional laminates, then cross-linking them within a MOF-derived framework. The resulting perforated layers exhibit exceptionally high singlet-oxygen generation under visible irradiation and retain structural integrity against pore collapse, enabling efficient photo-oxidative transformations such as selective aryl-bromination and pollutant degradation without post-processing.

Research from all publishers

An optimised p–n heterojunction composite between amino-functionalised UiO-66 and CuFe₂O₄ has been developed to enhance charge separation for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. By adjusting the MOF loading and interfacial alignment, the hybrid material achieves hydrogen generation rates exceeding 60 µmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹ under visible light, demonstrating how MOF/semiconductor heterostructures can be engineered for efficient solar-driven fuel production.

A comprehensive review of framework materials for supercapacitors has highlighted strategies to overcome the intrinsic low conductivity of pristine MOFs. Approaches such as formation of binary composites with conductive carbonaceous additives, derivation of MOF-templated carbons and integration of pseudocapacitive polymers have yielded electrode architectures with specific capacitances rivalring battery-type devices while retaining rapid charge/discharge rates and long cycle life.

Investigation of band-bending effects in carbon nitride/MOF heterojunctions has elucidated how interfacial electric fields govern electron transfer across MOF-based photocatalysts. By mapping valence band offsets via photoelectron spectroscopy, researchers have designed Type II junctions that double CO₂ photoreduction rates relative to physical mixtures, underscoring the predictive power of electronic structure analysis for MOF-enabled catalysis.

Metal Organic Frameworks publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in metal organic frameworks across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Metal-Organic Framework (MOF): A crystalline network of metal ions or clusters connected by organic ligands, creating highly porous structures with large internal surface areas.

Secondary Building Unit (SBU): A repeating inorganic cluster or metal node within a MOF that serves as a junction for coordination with organic linkers.

Pore Aperture: The effective diameter or opening of a channel within a porous material, typically measured in angstroms, which governs guest molecule access and diffusion.

Heterojunction: An interface between two distinct semiconducting or electrically active phases (e.g., MOF and metal oxide) engineered to promote directional charge separation.

Photocatalysis: The acceleration of a chemical reaction under light irradiation by a material that generates reactive charge carriers upon photon absorption.

References

1. Introduction to Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs).
2. Ionic Conduction Mechanism and Design of Metal–Organic Framework Based Quasi-Solid-State Electrolytes. Journal of the American Chemical Society (2022).
3. A stable quasi-solid electrolyte improves the safe operation of highly efficient lithium-metal pouch cells in harsh environments. Nature Communications (2022).
4. Hierarchical porous photosensitizers with efficient photooxidation. Nature Communications (2023).
5. Efficient Charge Transfer of p-n Heterojunction UiO-66-NH2/CuFe2O4 Composite for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production. Catalysts (2024).
6. Framework materials for supercapacitors. Nanotechnology Reviews (2022).
7. Effect of Band Bending in Photoactive MOF-Based Heterojunctions. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces (2022).