2023 New's Items

MOF Linker Extension Strategy for Enhanced Atmospheric Water Harvesting

Hanikel N
Yaghi OM
2023

A linker extension strategy for generating metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) with superior moisture-capturing properties is presented. Applying this design approach involving experiment and computation results in MOF-LA2-1 {[Al(OH)(PZVDC)], where PZVDC2– is (E)-5-(2-carboxylatovinyl)-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxylate}, which exhibits an approximately 50% water capacity increase compared to the state-of-the-art water-harvesting material MOF-303. The power of this approach is the increase in pore volume while retaining the ability of the MOF to...

High-Porosity Metal-Organic Framework Glasses

Xu W
Yaghi OM
2023

We report a synthetic strategy to link titanium-oxo (Ti-oxo) clusters into metal-organic framework (MOF) glasses with high porosity though the carboxylate linkage. A new series of MOF glasses was synthesized by evaporation of solution containing Ti-oxo clusters Ti16O16(OEt)32, linkers, and m-cresol. The formation of carboxylate linkages between the Ti-oxo clusters and the carboxylate linkers was confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The structural integrity of the Ti-oxo...

Catenated covalent organic frameworks constructed from polyhedra

Ma T
Yaghi OM
2023

Although the synthetic chemistry leading to interlocking molecular [n]catenanes of organic polyhedra (n = 2–3) and rings (n = 2–130) is established, the analogous chemistry that pertains to infinite three-dimensional systems ([∞]catenane) remains undeveloped. We report a series of [∞]catenane covalent organic frameworks (termed catena-COFs). These were synthesized by linking 4,4′-(1,10-phenanthroline-2,9-diyl)dibenzaldehyde to either of tris-(4-aminophenyl)-amine, -methane or -methanol through imine condensation. These...

High-yield, green and scalable methods for producing MOF-303 for water harvesting from desert air

Zheng Z
Yaghi OM
2022

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are excellent candidates for water harvesting from desert air. MOF-303 (Al(OH)(PZDC), where PZDC is 1-H-pyrazole-3,5-dicarboxylate), a robust and water-stable MOF, is a particularly promising water-harvesting sorbent that can take up water at low relative humidity and release it under mild heating. Accordingly, development of a facile, high-yield synthesis method for its production at scale is highly desirable. Here we report detailed protocols for the green, water-based preparation of MOF-303 on both gram and kilogram scales. Specifically...

System of sequences in multivariate reticular structures

Canossa S
Yaghi OM
2023

When variance is encountered in reticular structures such as metal–organic frameworks, it occurs as multiple kinds of functionalities bound and distributed in aperiodic lattices. In these multivariate systems, unknown spatial arrangements of functionalities create properties that go beyond those of their simple sum. It is therefore essential that we learn how to recognize, study and use these arrangements, and for this purpose we propose using the concept of sequences. Accordingly, we propose a classification system, outline a method for characterizing sequences and describe the...

Functional composites by programming entropy-driven nanosheet growth

Vargo E
Xu T
2023

Nanomaterials must be systematically designed to be technologically viable1,2,...

Damage-free X-ray spectroscopy characterization of oxide thin films

Lainé A
Salmeron M
Xu T
2023

Thin polymer or oxide films are ubiquitous components in many devices, including membranes for filtration or electrodes in electrochemical energy storage. ...

Imaging 3D chemistry at 1 nm resolution with fused multi-modal electron tomography

Schwartz J
Hovden R
Xu T
2023

Measuring the three-dimensional (3D) distribution of chemistry in nanoscale matter is a longstanding challenge for metrological science. The inelastic scattering events required for 3D chemical imaging are too rare, requiring high beam exposure that destroys the specimen before an experiment is completed. Even larger doses are required to achieve high resolution. Thus, chemical mapping in 3D has been unachievable except at lower resolution with the most radiation-hard materials. Here, high-resolution 3D chemical imaging is achieved near or below one-nanometer resolution in an Au-Fe...

Flexible all-organic nanocomposite films interlayered with in situ synthesized covalent organic frameworks for electrostatic energy storage

Li H
Liu Y
Xu T
2023

Poly(vinylidene fluoride)-based terpolymers, known for having the largest dielectric constant among the existing dielectric polymers, are attractive materials for electrostatic film capacitors...

Population-based heteropolymer design to mimic protein mixtures

Ruan Z
Xu T
2023

Biological fluids, the most complex blends, have compositions that constantly vary and cannot be molecularly defined1. Despite these uncertainties, proteins fluctuate, fold, function and evolve as programmed...