Metal‐Organic Framework Nanocrystals

Abstract

Metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) comprise a broad class of crystalline materials defined as porous networks consisting of metal ions or clusters interconnected through polytopic organic linkers. Due to their intriguing structural and topological characteristics which usually offer high surface areas and tunable pore size, MOFs are excellent candidates for a great variety of applications, such as gas adsorption and separation, catalysis, magnetism, photoluminescence and many others. Although attractive, traditional bulk crystalline MOF materials do not always fulfill the specific needs for some applications, such as smart membranes, thin films devices, and drug delivery. Moreover, nanocrystals display properties that differ from the bulk material due to the high surface‐to‐volume ratio and quantum size effects. Thus, MOF nanocrystals will possibly present new and exciting properties or at least enhance the already known ones. With this view, it is necessary to develop efficient strategies towards the synthesis of MOF nanocrystals. This review provides general concepts of MOF nanocrystals and a critical summary of synthetic approaches with the focus on recent progress in the fabrication of MOF nanocrystals.

Size control over metal–organic framework porous nanocrystals

“…20 To advance this research frontier, we must identify synthetic targets and universal mechanistic principles. Building on the publication of recent reviews [21][22][23][24] and rigorous mechanistic studies, [25][26][27][28][29] we identied key open questions: Which MOFs have been prepared as nanocrystals? Which sizes are achievable?…”

The Chemistry of Reticular Framework Nanoparticles: MOF, ZIF, and COF Materials

“…[256] The MIM linker is built from four axles connected by a linking strut around which a molecular wheel can move between the two anchor points of the strut. [256] Two 3,5 benzene-dicarbocylic acid groups served as linking struts, a benzyl-aniline recognition site as crossbar and [24]crown-6 macrocycle as the moving wheel. [256] To monitor the dynamic movement of the ring, the rotaxane molecule was deuterated and 2 H SSNMR spectra of active UWDM-1 were carried out over a wide temperature range between 292 and 477 K (Figure 10).…”

Water-based routes for synthesis of metal-organic frameworks: A review

“…Although the optimized synthesis route can reduce the amount of organic solvents, the method developed herein is not a complete water-based synthesis procedure. In addition, a more recent report described the preparation of MOF-199 (Cu-BTC) crystals with only water as the solvent and excess methylamine as additive [105]. The synthesis time could be shortened to 5 min to achieve a product yield of 89%.…”