Metal–organic frameworks articles within Nature Communications

Featured

• Article
  24 May 2024 | Open Access

  Highly porous metal-organic framework liquids and glasses via a solvent-assisted linker exchange strategy of ZIF-8

  The canonical metal-organic framework ZIF-8 does not melt and form a glass. Here, authors incorporated two additional organic linkers into ZIF-8 to generate meltable derivatives which can be transformed into highly porous glasses by melt-quenching.

  • Wen-Long Xue
  • , Pascal Kolodzeiski
  •  & Sebastian Henke

• Article
  09 May 2024 | Open Access

  Gas adsorption and framework flexibility of CALF-20 explored via experiments and simulations

  CALF-20 is a water stable structure capable of selectively separating CO₂ from flue gas. Here authors use a close feedback loop between theory and experiments to understand CO₂/water adsorption and framework flexibility of CALF-20.

  • Rama Oktavian
  • , Ruben Goeminne
  •  & Peyman Z. Moghadam

• Article
  29 April 2024 | Open Access

  Self-condensation-assisted chemical vapour deposition growth of atomically two-dimensional MOF single-crystals

  2D MOFs have a variety of applications, including molecular separation and atomically thin electronics. Here authors demonstrate the preparation of monolayer and few-layer MOF single-crystals using a self-condensation-assisted CVD method.

  • Lingxin Luo
  • , Lingxiang Hou
  •  & Jian Zheng

• Article
  23 April 2024 | Open Access

  Highly defective ultra-small tetravalent MOF nanocrystals

  Crystalline materials’ properties are highly dependent on their size. Here authors report a general synthesis of ultrasmall (4–6 nm) and highly defective Zr/Hf-Metal Organic Frameworks nanoparticles that present enhanced peptide hydrolysis performance.

  • Shan Dai
  • , Charlotte Simms
  •  & Christian Serre

• Article
  22 April 2024 | Open Access

  Local CO₂ reservoir layer promotes rapid and selective electrochemical CO₂ reduction

  Converting CO₂ to valuable chemicals is of high interest. Here the authors address the challenge of low CO2 solubility in water by incorporating a metal-organic framework layer to enhance CO₂ pre-concentration and activation before its electroreduction by the underlying solid electrocatalyst.

  • Subhabrata Mukhopadhyay
  • , Muhammad Saad Naeem
  •  & Idan Hod

• Article
  16 April 2024 | Open Access

  Unconventional mechanical and thermal behaviours of MOF CALF-20

  CALF-20 MOF is considered a benchmark sorbent for industrial scale CO₂ capture. Here authors use machine-learning potential simulations to show that CALF-20 exhibits anomalous structural responses to temperature and strain stimuli, with potential applications in mechanical/thermal sensing.

  • Dong Fan
  • , Supriyo Naskar
  •  & Guillaume Maurin

• Article
  13 April 2024 | Open Access

  Double-walled Al-based MOF with large microporous specific surface area for trace benzene adsorption

  Trace benzene poses a risk to the health and safety of humans, resulting in a challenging task. Here authors synthesise double-walled Al-based MOF ZJU-520(Al) with trace benzene adsorption (5.98 mmol g^–1) and excellent benzene/cyclohexane separation ability.

  • Laigang Hu
  • , Wenhao Wu
  •  & Kun Yang

• Article
  04 April 2024 | Open Access

  Diffusion-rate sieving of propylene and propane mixtures in a cooperatively dynamic porous crystal

  Porous coordination polymers (PCPs) are commonly used in gas separation processes but developing PCPs that work at high temperatures and feature both high uptake capacity and selectivity remains challenging. Here, the authors report diffusion-rate sieving of propylene/propane at 300 K by constructing a PCP whose global and local dynamics cooperatively govern the adsorption process via gate opening for propylene and diffusion regulation for propane.

  • Yan Su
  • , Ken-ichi Otake
  •  & Cheng Gu

• Article
  04 April 2024 | Open Access

  Crosslinking-induced patterning of MOFs by direct photo- and electron-beam lithography

  Precise and scalable patterning is essential for the use of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) in solid-state electronics and photonics. Here, the authors report on resistance-free, direct photo- and electron-beam lithography of MOF films using crosslinking chemistry.

  • Xiaoli Tian
  • , Fu Li
  •  & Jinghong Li

• Article
  23 March 2024 | Open Access

  Selective sorting of hexane isomers by anion-functionalized metal-organic frameworks with optimal energy regulation

  Balancing the separation selectivity and regeneration energy of alkane isomers is a daunting challenge. Here the authors utilize flexible host-guest interactions to maximize the gas-framework interactions while achieving potential energy storage to set new benchmarks for alkane isomer separation.

  • Qingju Wang
  • , Lifeng Yang
  •  & Huabin Xing

• Article
  23 March 2024 | Open Access

  Strategies for high-temperature methyl iodide capture in azolate-based metal-organic frameworks

  Efficient capture of methyl iodide (CH₃I) from high-temperature nuclear off-gas is quite challenging. Here, the authors present two innovative and efficient strategies to adsorb CH₃I at high temperatures in an azolate-based metal-organic framework.

  • Tingting Pan
  • , Kaijie Yang
  •  & Yu Han

• Article
  22 March 2024 | Open Access

  Spectroscopic visualization of reversible hydrogen spillover between palladium and metal–organic frameworks toward catalytic semihydrogenation

  The authors report an in situ investigation of interfacial hydrogen spillover in Pd/ZIF-8 structures with X-ray and Raman techniques. A mechanistic picture of how Pd/ZIF-8 catalyst mediate alkyne semihydrogenation to alkynes is described.

  • Qiaoxi Liu
  • , Wenjie Xu
  •  & Yujie Xiong

• Article
  14 March 2024 | Open Access

  Direct observation of tunable thermal conductance at solid/porous crystalline solid interfaces induced by water adsorbates

  Interfacial thermal transfer is critical for heat dissipation of devices with interfaces. Here, the authors propose a strategy to tune the interfacial thermal transport between substrate and metal-organic frameworks to benefit their related cooling applications.

  • Guang Wang
  • , Hongzhao Fan
  •  & Yanguang Zhou

• Article
  09 March 2024 | Open Access

  A Ce-CuZn catalyst with abundant Cu/Zn-O_V-Ce active sites for CO₂ hydrogenation to methanol

  Carbon dioxide hydrogenation is an important industrial reaction. Here, the authors design a CeCuZn catalyst through a metal organic framework template for CO₂ hydrogenation to methanol with excellent methanol yield and stability.

  • Runping Ye
  • , Lixuan Ma
  •  & Jian Liu

• Article
  17 February 2024 | Open Access

  Elucidation of the role of metals in the adsorption and photodegradation of herbicides by metal-organic frameworks

  In this study, the authors explored the correlation between the structure and optoelectronic properties of metal organic frameworks for the removal of a harmful herbicide from water.

  • Nan Chieh Chiu
  • , Jacob M. Lessard
  •  & Kyriakos C. Stylianou

• Article
  10 February 2024 | Open Access

  Ultralight crystalline hybrid composite material for highly efficient sequestration of radioiodine

  The development of effective adsorbents of radioiodine nuclear waste remains difficult due to the lack of proper material design strategies. Here the authors report an ultralight hierarchically porous crystalline multifunctional hybrid nanocomposite for ultrafast entrapment of iodine and polyiodide species under both static and dynamic condition.

  • Sahel Fajal
  • , Writakshi Mandal
  •  & Sujit K. Ghosh

• Article
  08 February 2024 | Open Access

  Melt-quenched carboxylate metal–organic framework glasses

  Many MOFs feature carboxylate ligands with strong coordination bonds, hindering thermal melting. Here, authors present a meltable carboxylate MOF designed with a thermodynamically favored component.

  • Minhyuk Kim
  • , Hwa-Sub Lee
  •  & Hoi Ri Moon

• Article
  07 February 2024 | Open Access

  Light-induced MOF synthesis enabling composite photothermal materials

  Introduced here is a light-induced MOF synthesis, enabled by plasmonic nanoparticles. The method, proven to be rapid and efficient, can also promote the formation of a nanoparticle-MOF composite, imparting photothermal properties to the new material.

  • Ofir Shelonchik
  • , Nir Lemcoff
  •  & Yossi Weizmann

• Article
  27 January 2024 | Open Access

  Three-dimensional covalent organic frameworks with nia nets for efficient separation of benzene/cyclohexane mixtures

  The synthesis of three-dimensional (3D) covalent organic frameworks (COFs) with highly connected building blocks presents a significant challenge. Here, the authors report the synthesis of two 3D COFs with the nia topology, by introducing planar hexagonal and triangular prism nodes.

  • Jianhong Chang
  • , Fengqian Chen
  •  & Qianrong Fang

• Article
  11 January 2024 | Open Access

  Ultra-selective uranium separation by in-situ formation of π-f conjugated 2D uranium-organic framework

  Methodologies to achieve efficient and selective uranium separation originating from nuclear waste are desirable. Here the authors report the in-situ formation of π-f conjugated 2D uranium-organic framework for uranium separation, leading to superior performance in uranium uptake and outstanding uranium generation efficiency from seawater.

  • Qing Yun Zhang
  • , Lin Juan Zhang
  •  & Feng Luo

• Article
  04 January 2024 | Open Access

  Cation-π interactions enabled water-stable perovskite X-ray flat mini-panel imager

  The water stability of perovskites remains challenging due to their intrinsic ionic nature. Here, the authors present water stable perovskite X-ray imager driven by strong cation-π interactions between organic cations and a complete release of microstrain during dimension transformation process.

  • Wanting Pan
  • , Yuhong He
  •  & Haotong Wei

• Article
  02 January 2024 | Open Access

  Switching molecular recognition selectivities by temperature in a diffusion-regulatory porous material

  The design of host-guest systems for switchable recognition of guests upon the change of external stimuli is challenging due to the invariable host-guest affinity. Here, the authors encode a dynamic motion into a porous crystal to regulate the diffusion of CO2 and C2H2 allowing the crystal to switch the gas recognition selectivity by temperature.

  • Yan Su
  • , Ken-ichi Otake
  •  & Cheng Gu

• Article
  05 December 2023 | Open Access

  A facile dual-template-directed successive assembly approach to hollow multi-shell mesoporous metal–organic framework particles

  Design and construction of MOF nanoarchitectures are expected to significantly extend their applicability to catalysis. Here, the authors report a dual-template-directed successive assembly method to prepare mesoporous multi-shell MOF nanoreactors.

  • Haidong Xu
  • , Ji Han
  •  & Buyuan Guan

• Article
  01 December 2023 | Open Access

  Origamic metal-organic framework toward mechanical metamaterial

  This work introduces a 2D porphyrinic metal-organic framework based on DCS origami tessellation, displaying unique folding behavior inspired by origami mechanics. This breakthrough paves the way for MOFs toward mechanical metamaterials.

  • Eunji Jin
  • , In Seong Lee
  •  & Wonyoung Choe

• Article
  27 November 2023 | Open Access

  A promising perovskite primary explosive

  A primary explosive (DPPE-1) with a double perovskite structure and ignition function was reported. It is synthesized in a straightforward manner and has good stability, with a minimum primary charge of 5 mg.

  • Yongan Feng
  • , Jichuan Zhang
  •  & Jean’ne M. Shreeve

• Article
  20 November 2023 | Open Access

  Breaking the photoswitch speed limit

  Rapid switching between discrete states in the solid state is a cornerstone for the technological development of devices based on stimuli-responsive materials. Here authors break the speed limit of common classes of photochromic molecules through tailoring framework environments.

  • Grace C. Thaggard
  • , Kyoung Chul Park
  •  & Natalia B. Shustova

• Article
  20 November 2023 | Open Access

  Self-carbon-thermal-reduction strategy for boosting the Fenton-like activity of single Fe-N₄ sites by carbon-defect engineering

  Designing carbon-defect engineering is significant for boosting the catalytic performance of metal single-atom sites catalysts. Herein, the authors report a self-carbon-thermal-reduction strategy for carbon defect engineering to boost the Fenton-like activity of single Fe-N₄ sites.

  • Shengjie Wei
  • , Yibing Sun
  •  & Yadong Li

• Article
  03 November 2023 | Open Access

  Direct prediction of gas adsorption via spatial atom interaction learning

  Accurate end-to-end deep learning models for adsorption prediction in porous materials would help its discovery. Here, the authors present DeepSorption, a spatial atom interaction learning network to predict structure-adsorption from atomic coordinates and chemical element types.

  • Jiyu Cui
  • , Fang Wu
  •  & Huabin Xing

• Article
  02 November 2023 | Open Access

  A general large-scale synthesis approach for crystalline porous materials

  The large-scale production of crystalline porous materials remains a challenge. Here the authors report a general approach of high-pressure homogenization that can realize large-scale synthesis of crystalline porous materials under benign conditions.

  • Xiongli Liu
  • , An Wang
  •  & Shengqian Ma

• Article
  31 October 2023 | Open Access

  Synthetic control of correlated disorder in UiO-66 frameworks

  The ability to control defects offers the opportunity to design porous materials with desired properties. Here the authors present a strategy to control the generation and growth of periodic missing cluster vacancies in UiO-66 frameworks and analyze their impact on the physical properties and catalytic activity.

  • Sergio Tatay
  • , Sonia Martínez-Giménez
  •  & Carlos Martí-Gastaldo

• Article
  19 October 2023 | Open Access

  Energy-efficient extraction of linear alkanes from various isomers using structured metal-organic framework membrane

  Extraction of linear alkanes from various isomers is critical for the petrochemical industry. Here authors present an oriented MOF membrane with a rigid triangular pore array for one-step extraction of linear pentane, hexane, and heptane from a ten-component alkane isomer solution.

  • Yuecheng Wang
  • , Yujie Ban
  •  & Weishen Yang

• Article
  02 October 2023 | Open Access

  Incorporation of multiple supramolecular binding sites into a robust MOF for benchmark one-step ethylene purification

  One-step separation of C2H4 from ternary C2 hydrocarbon mixtures remains a challenge for current physisorbents. Here, the authors reported a strategy of designing multiple supramolecular binding sites in a robust and scalable MOF for highly efficient one-step C2H4 purification from ternary mixtures.

  • Enyu Wu
  • , Xiao-Wen Gu
  •  & Bin Li

• Article
  28 September 2023 | Open Access

  Biomimetic single Al-OH site with high acetylcholinesterase-like activity and self-defense ability for neuroprotection

  The neurotoxicity of organophosphate compounds damages nerve system by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase (AChE) expression, but it is difficult to overcome the deactivation of AChE. Here, the authors report the design of Lewis acid sites in metal-organic frameworks as AChE mimics for effective neuroprotection.

  • Weiqing Xu
  • , Xiaoli Cai
  •  & Chengzhou Zhu

• Article
  02 September 2023 | Open Access

  Anisotropic flexibility and rigidification in a TPE-based Zr-MOFs with scu topology

  Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with adjustable porosity and tunable functionality have attracted considerable attention, but the directional control of intermolecular and intramolecular motion of TPE-based ligands in the non-interpenetrated flexible MOFs has not yet been studied. Here, the authors report a non-interpenetrated tetraphenylethylene-based MOF with anisotropic flexibility.

  • Sha-Sha Meng
  • , Ming Xu
  •  & Zhi-Yuan Gu

• Article
  26 August 2023 | Open Access

  A cage-on-MOF strategy to coordinatively functionalize mesoporous MOFs for manipulating selectivity in adsorption and catalysis

  Functionalising porous materials is a route to enhancing properties of hybrid materials. Here authors present a “Cage-on-MOF” strategy to modify the surface of mesoporous MOFs by using molecular cages to achieve selective dyes adsorption behavior and heterogeneous catalysis.

  • Yu Liang
  • , Xiaoxin Yang
  •  & Yu Fang

• Article
  21 August 2023 | Open Access

  Direct visual observation of pedal motion-dependent flexibility of single covalent organic frameworks

  To correlate the microstructure of flexible covalent organic frameworks with their flexibility is challenging. Here, the authors visually track the deformation behaviors of single covalent organic framework particles with dark-field microscopy discovering that their flexibility is dictated by the pedal motion around rigid imine bonds.

  • Hongbin Chi
  • , Yang Liu
  •  & Yi He

• Article
  15 August 2023 | Open Access

  Pillararene incorporated metal–organic frameworks for supramolecular recognition and selective separation

  Frameworks containing flexible macrocycle units provide opportunities in molecular recognition and separation. Here authors present MOFs with uniformly embedded pillar[5]arene that can recognise paraquat and 1,2,4,5-tetracyanobenzene in solution and selectively remove trace pyridine from toluene.

  • Yitao Wu
  • , Meiqi Tang
  •  & Feihe Huang

• Article
  10 August 2023 | Open Access

  Imaging the dynamic influence of functional groups on metal-organic frameworks

  Here authors use iDPC-STEM to directly image the rotation of linkers in MOFs, demonstrating an approach to study the local flexibility. They show that the dynamic properties of UiO-66-X are likely correlated to their macroscopic properties of CO₂ uptake.

  • Boyang Liu
  • , Xiao Chen
  •  & Tiefeng Wang

• Article
  26 July 2023 | Open Access

  Confining charge-transfer complex in a metal-organic framework for photocatalytic CO₂ reduction in water

  Maji and coworkers report the selective conversion of CO₂ to CH₄ under visible light by utilizing a charge transfer complex within Zr-MOF-808 pores. The complex ultimately facilitates efficient multielectron reduction at the Zr-catalytic center.

  • Sanchita Karmakar
  • , Soumitra Barman
  •  & Tapas Kumar Maji

• Article
  20 July 2023 | Open Access

  Experimental manifestation of redox-conductivity in metal-organic frameworks and its implication for semiconductor/insulator switching

  MOFs that transport electrons by a hopping mechanism are redox conductors. Here authors demonstrate a diagnostic bell-shaped conductivity curve that is centred around the formal potential of the redox active unit in a variety of MOFs.

  • Jingguo Li
  • , Amol Kumar
  •  & Sascha Ott

• Article
  15 July 2023 | Open Access

  Soft corrugated channel with synergistic exclusive discrimination gating for CO₂ recognition in gas mixture

  Developing porous systems with high molecular recognition performance can be challenging. Here the authors present a corrugated channel system that cooperatively responds to only CO₂ molecules over nine other similar gas molecules.

  • Yifan Gu
  • , Jia-Jia Zheng
  •  & Susumu Kitagawa

• Article
  14 July 2023 | Open Access

  Breathing porous liquids based on responsive metal-organic framework particles

  Responsive liquid systems which exhibit a breathing behaviour and show step-shaped gas sorption isotherms, akin to the distinct oxygen saturation curve of haemoglobin in blood have been developed. Their breathing behaviour upon sorption of industrially relevant gases is demonstrated.

  • Athanasios Koutsianos
  • , Roman Pallach
  •  & Sebastian Henke

• Article
  29 June 2023 | Open Access

  Hierarchical conductive metal-organic framework films enabling efficient interfacial mass transfer

  Heterogeneous reactions associated with porous films are vital in nature and industry. A hierarchical-structure-accelerated interfacial dynamic strategy is reported to improve interfacial gas transfer on conductive metal-organic framework films.

  • Chuanhui Huang
  • , Xinglong Shang
  •  & Renhao Dong

• Article
  09 June 2023 | Open Access

  An approach to MOFaxanes by threading ultralong polymers through metal–organic framework microcrystals

  Mechanically interlocked architectures inspired the fabrication of numerous molecular systems, but the topological design of such architectures has not been fully explored from the nano- to the macroscopic scale. Here, the authors propose a MOFaxane, comprised of long chain molecules penetrating a microcrystal of metal– organic framework.

  • Tomoya Iizuka
  • , Hiroyuki Sano
  •  & Takashi Uemura

• Article
  03 June 2023 | Open Access

  Multi-compartmental MOF microreactors derived from Pickering double emulsions for chemo-enzymatic cascade catalysis

  The cell-like structures and the ability of assembling catalytic species are interesting features of bioinspired multicompartment architectures but it remains a challenge to build them. Here, the authors describe a Pickering double emulsion-directed interfacial synthesis to fabricate multi-compartmented metal-organic framework microreactors. The cell-like structures and the ability of assembling catalytic species are interesting features of bioinspired multicompartment architectures but it remains a challenge to build them. Here, the authors describe a Pickering double emulsion-directed interfacial synthesis to fabricate multi-compartmented metal-organic framework microreactors.

  • Danping Tian
  • , Ruipeng Hao
  •  & Hengquan Yang

• Article
  03 June 2023 | Open Access

  On the role of history-dependent adsorbate distribution and metastable states in switchable mesoporous metal-organic frameworks

  Switchable porous materials offer adaptive voids mutating in size and shape in response to molecular stimuli. Here authors use PFG NMR to reveal the decisive role of metastable states leading to counterintuitive negative gas adsorption transitions in responsive MOFs.

  • Francesco Walenszus
  • , Volodymyr Bon
  •  & Muslim Dvoyashkin

• Article
  23 May 2023 | Open Access

  Microbial synthesis of Prussian blue for potentiating checkpoint blockade immunotherapy

  Prussian blue has been used as a photothermal agent for cancer therapy. Here the authors describe the production of Prussian blue nanoparticles from S. oneidensis MR-1 bacteria and show that a Prussian blue-based mitochondria-targeting nanoplatform potentiates response to immune checkpoint blockade.

  • Dongdong Wang
  • , Jiawei Liu
  •  & Yanli Zhao

• Article
  19 May 2023 | Open Access

  Insulator-to-metal-like transition in thin films of a biological metal-organic framework

  Temperature-induced insulator-to-metal transitions are usually accompanied by structural phase transitions. Here the authors demonstrate an enhancement of the electrical conductance in a thin film of a biologically relevant metal-organic framework, without noticeable change in the structure, assigned to be of mainly electronic origin.

  • Pooja Sindhu
  • , K. S. Ananthram
  •  & Nirmalya Ballav

• Article
  19 May 2023 | Open Access

  Superior ferroelectricity and nonlinear optical response in a hybrid germanium iodide hexagonal perovskite

  The authors report on a quasi-one-dimensional organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite, DMAGeI₃ (DMA = Dimethylamine), with notable ferroelectric attributes at room temperature including large spontaneous polarisation, low coercive field, and strong second harmonic generation response.

  • Kun Ding
  • , Haoshen Ye
  •  & Da-Wei Fu

• Article
  29 April 2023 | Open Access

  Photocatalytic CO₂ reduction using La-Ni bimetallic sites within a covalent organic framework

  A bifunctional dual-atom photocatalysts with La and Ni sites is shown to be have efficient generation and transfer of photocarriers from the optically active La center to the catalytically active Ni center for promoting efficient CO₂ reduction to CO.

  • Min Zhou
  • , Zhiqing Wang
  •  & Yueli Liu