Investigations of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) in bulk and nanoscale

Abstract

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are novel class of crystalline hybrid materials (1?3) existing as infinite array of metal ions or clusters (Fig. 1) and organic struts, connected by coordination bonds.(4) These are mostly porous frameworks with well-defined nanoscale tunable channels. It has drawn considerable attention because a large number of framework structures of different topologies would be possible to obtain through exploitation of both organic and inorganic components. The frameworks are modular in nature and can be prepared by mild synthetic conditions.(5) Organic molecules provide tunable shape, size, and functionality and the inorganic elements provide the potential for similar properties to traditional zeolites, including thermal and mechanical stability,(6) as well as optical,(7) magnetic(8) and electronic properties.