Self-assembly of polyhedral metal–organic framework particles into three-dimensional ordered superstructures

Abstract

Self-assembly of particles into long-range, three-dimensional, ordered superstructures is crucial for the design of a variety of materials, including plasmonic sensing materials, energy or gas storage systems, catalysts and photonic crystals. Here, we have combined experimental and simulation data to show that truncated rhombic dodecahedral particles of the metal-organic framework (MOF) ZIF-8 can self-assemble into millimetre-sized superstructures with an underlying three-dimensional rhombohedral lattice that behave as photonic crystals. Those superstructures feature a photonic bandgap that can be tuned by controlling the size of the ZIF-8 particles and is also responsive to the adsorption of guest substances in the micropores of the ZIF-8 particles. In addition, superstructures with different lattices can also be assembled by tuning the truncation of ZIF-8 particles, or by using octahedral UiO-66 MOF particles instead. These well-ordered, sub-micrometre-sized superstructures might ultimately facilitate the design of three-dimensional photonic materials for applications in sensing.

Capillary Assembly of Liquid Particles

“…The colloidal science domain is replete with synthetic strategies for patchy colloidal molecules, [ 25–34 ] anisotropic metallic colloids, [ 30,35 ] Janus particles, [ 36,37 ] and other polyhedra. [ 32,38–40 ] However, there is a demand to synthesize nonspherical microparticles with multiple facets that are not accessible via wet chemical or gas‐phase methods. [ 37 ] Current anisotropic polyhedral particles are predominantly metallic and sub‐500 nm [ 35,40–42 ] and the field lacks contributions from faceted polymer microparticles, [ 43–47 ] particularly those with surface functional groups.…”

Confined Pyrolysis of ZIF‐8 Polyhedrons Wrapped with Graphene Oxide Nanosheets to Prepare 3D Porous Carbon Heterostructures

“…Preparation of ZIF‐8 Polyhedra with an Average Particle Size of 225 nm : ZIF‐8 polyhedra with an average particle size of 225 nm were prepared by previously reported method with minor modification . Typically, 600 mg of Zn(CH 3 COO) 2 ·2H 2 O was dissolved in 10 mL of water and 1.12 g of MeIM and 2.0 mg of cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) were dissolved in 10 mL of water by sonication.…”

Metal–Organic Frameworks in Modern Physics: Highlights and Perspectives

“…Such particles are then spontaneously assembled into millimeter-ordered structures, creating photonic crystals, allowing them to dynamically change the wavelength of reflected light under gas sorption (Figure 7a,b). [135] The study of the use of spherical MOF colloidal crystals as matrices has also highlighted the possibilities for recognition of guest molecules with unique signaling. The unique integrated gap in such spheres provides a good way to manipulate the photophysical and photochemical behavior of the guest molecules inside the MOF superstructure, when it is used as a photonic structure.…”

“…), which is characterized by the different interactions (mechanical, electromagnetic) between the central element, a meta atom of a specific shape and size, with its neighbors. [135] Scale bar, 1 µm. Based Adv.…”