Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) or porous coordination polymers (PCPs) are open, crystalline supramolecular coordination architectures with porous facets. These chemically tailorable framework materials are the subject of intense and expansive research, and are particularly relevant in the fields of sensory materials and device engineering. As the subfield of MOF-based sensing has developed, many diverse chemical functionalities have been carefully and rationally implanted into the coordination nanospace of MOF materials. MOFs with widely varied fluorometric sensing properties have been developed using the design principles of crystal engineering and structure–property correlations, resulting in a large and rapidly growing body of literature. This work has led to advancements in a number of crucial sensing domains, including biomolecules, environmental toxins, explosives, ionic species, and many others. Furthermore, new classes of MOF sensory materials utilizing advanced signal transduction by devices based on MOF photonic crystals and thin films have been developed. This comprehensive review summarizes the topical developments in the field of luminescent MOF and MOF-based photonic crystals/thin film sensory materials.

Metal-organic frameworks: functional luminescent and photonic materials for sensing applications.

Rapidly increasing atmospheric CO2 concentrations threaten human society, the natural environment, and the synergy between the two. In order to ameliorate the CO2 problem, carbon capture and conversion techniques have been proposed. Metal–organic framework (MOF)-based materials, a relatively new class of porous materials with unique structural features, high surface areas, chemical tunability and stability, have been extensively studied with respect to their applicability to such techniques. Recently, it has become apparent that the CO2 capture capabilities of MOF-based materials significantly boost their potential toward CO2 conversion. Furthermore, MOF-based materials’ well-defined structures greatly facilitate the understanding of structure–property relationships and their roles in CO2 capture and conversion. In this review, we provide a comprehensive account of significant progress in the design and synthesis of MOF-based materials, including MOFs, MOF composites and MOF derivatives, and their application to carbon capture and conversion. Special emphases on the relationships between CO2 capture capacities of MOF-based materials and their catalytic CO2 conversion performances are discussed.

Carbon capture and conversion using metal–organic frameworks and MOF-based materials

Luminescent sensors based on metal-organic frameworks

More than 95% (in volume) of all of today’s chemical products are manufactured through catalytic processes, making research into more efficient catalytic materials a thrilling and very dynamic rese...

Metal–Organic Frameworks in Heterogeneous Catalysis: Recent Progress, New Trends, and Future Perspectives

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a class of distinctive porous crystalline materials constructed by metal ions/clusters and organic linkers. Owing to their structural diversity, functional adjustability, and high surface area, different types of MOF-based single metal sites are well exploited, including coordinately unsaturated metal sites from metal nodes and metallolinkers, as well as active metal species immobilized to MOFs. Furthermore, controllable thermal transformation of MOFs can upgrade them to nanomaterials functionalized with active single-atom catalysts (SACs). These unique features of MOFs and their derivatives enable them to serve as a highly versatile platform for catalysis, which has actually been becoming a rapidly developing interdisciplinary research area. In this review, we overview the recent developments of catalysis at single metal sites in MOF-based materials with emphasis on their structures and applications for thermocatalysis, electrocatalysis, and photocatalysis. We also compare the results and summarize the major insights gained from the works in this review, providing the challenges and prospects in this emerging field.

Metal-Organic Framework-Based Catalysts with Single Metal Sites.

A unique three-dimensional Tb-BTB framework (1) with two types of one-dimensional channels was obtained and structurally characterized, exhibiting high thermal stability Luminescent investigations reveal that 1 can detect Fe3+ with relatively high sensitivity and selectivity Importantly, 1 as the luminescent probe of Fe3+ can be simply and quickly regenerated, which represents a rare example in reported luminescent sensors of Fe3+

Lanthanide Organic Framework as a Regenerable Luminescent Probe for Fe3

A water-stable lanthanide-organic framework as a recyclable luminescent probe for detecting pollutant phosphorus anions.

Lanthanide-based metal-organic frameworks (Ln-MOFs), as notable materials, are constructed by Ln3+ ions and organic ligands, or Ln3+ ions functionalizing non-Ln-MOFs, and exhibit promising applications in various fields. Over the past decades, quite a lot of investigations of Ln-MOFs have been carried out, and many good results have been obtained. Among these results, Ln-MOFs as luminescent probes for unique detection are gradually becoming a hot topic due to their fast and effective luminescent response for the targeted substance. In this perspective article, we discuss the construction of luminescent Ln-MOFs, their applications in possible detection mechanisms, and summarize some examples of Ln-MOFs as luminescent probes for sensing cations, anions and small molecules.

Lanthanide-based metal–organic frameworks as luminescent probes

Applications of MOFs: Recent advances in photocatalytic hydrogen production from water

Three isostructural Ln-BTB frameworks (Ln = Eu (1), Dy (2), Yb (3)) were synthesized and structurally characterized, in which mononuclear and trinuclear [Ln3] units as nodes construct unprecedented (3,4,10)-connected 3D frameworks with (4·6·8)4(4·8(2))2(4·8(5))(6(2)·8(4))(4(5)·6(8)·8(26)·10(6)) point symbol. The luminescent investigations revealed that compound 1 can sensitively and selectively detect Al(3+), but comparably compound 2 could not detect Al(3+) among various cations. More importantly, 1 as an Al(3+) sensor can be reused at least five times, which represents the first recyclable metal organic framework (MOF)-supported Al(3+) sensor. Additionally, magnetic investigations on 2 also were carried out, showing a single-molecule-magnet behavior.

Chun-Shuai Cao

Papers

Lanthanide Organic Framework as a Regenerable Luminescent Probe for Fe3

A water-stable lanthanide-organic framework as a recyclable luminescent probe for detecting pollutant phosphorus anions.

Lanthanide-based metal–organic frameworks as luminescent probes

Applications of MOFs: Recent advances in photocatalytic hydrogen production from water

Unique (3,4,10)-Connected Lanthanide-Organic Framework as a Recyclable Chemical Sensor for Detecting Al(3.).