Metal-Organic Frameworks in Chemical Applications

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are crystalline materials formed by the coordination of metal ions or clusters with organic ligands to create porous networks of exceptionally high surface area. Their modular construction permits precise control over pore size, shape and chemical functionality, enabling a wide array of chemical applications. In catalysis, MOFs serve as platforms for heterogeneous and single-site catalysts, offering enhanced selectivity, stability and ease of recovery. In gas storage and separation, tunable pore environments allow for efficient capture of greenhouse gases, purification of petrochemical streams and removal of toxic vapours. Electrically conductive MOFs have opened new avenues in electrocatalysis, charge storage and sensing, while biomimetic mineralisation and enzyme encapsulation within MOF cages afford robust biocatalytic systems. Beyond these areas, MOFs have demonstrated potential in drug delivery, environmental remediation and as scaffolds for multifunctional devices. The global significance of MOF research lies in its contribution to sustainable chemical processes, energy conversion and environmental protection through the rational design of advanced porous materials.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Investigations into enzyme immobilisation have yielded ultra-stable MOF architectures with mesoporous single-molecule traps, enabling high enzyme loadings, improved catalytic turnover and resistance to denaturing conditions. Developments in conductive two-dimensional coordination polymers have produced intrinsically conductive MOFs exhibiting ambipolar charge transport and high electrical conductivity, underscoring their promise as well-defined electrocatalysts. Advances in framework functionalisation have also delivered broad-spectrum heavy-metal ion traps by integrating chelating groups into robust MOF matrices, achieving ultrahigh removal efficiencies and facilitating the preparation of single-metal and multi-metal catalysts for organic transformations.

Metal-Organic Frameworks in Chemical Applications publication trend

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

Technical terms

Metal-Organic Framework (MOF): A porous crystalline solid comprised of metal nodes coordinated to organic linkers, notable for high surface area and tunable pore structures.

Heterogeneous catalysis: Catalytic reactions occurring on the surface of a solid material, enabling easy separation of catalyst and products.

Electrocatalysis: Acceleration of electrochemical reactions at an electrode surface, often facilitated by conductive or redox-active materials.

Single-site catalyst: A catalyst in which catalytically active centres are isolated and structurally identical, allowing for uniform reactivity and mechanistic clarity.

Adsorption: The accumulation of molecules or ions at the surface or within the pores of a solid material.

Biomimetic mineralisation: A process inspired by natural biomineral formation, used to encapsulate or stabilise biomacromolecules within inorganic frameworks.

References

1. Stable metal-organic frameworks containing single-molecule traps for enzyme encapsulation. Nature Communications (2015).
2. A two-dimensional π–d conjugated coordination polymer with extremely high electrical conductivity and ambipolar transport behaviour. Nature Communications (2015).
3. A versatile MOF-based trap for heavy metal ion capture and dispersion. Nature Communications (2018).
4. Bioinspired Framework Catalysts: From Enzyme Immobilization to Biomimetic Catalysis. Chemical Reviews (2023).
5. Electrically Conductive Metal–Organic Frameworks. Chemical Reviews (2020).
6. Metal–organic and covalent organic frameworks as single-site catalysts. Chemical Society Reviews (2017).