Metal-organic frameworks as sensory materials and imaging agents.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are versatile hybrid materials constructed from metal ions and organic linkers.
• Their modular nature allows for the creation of diverse structures with tailored properties.
• MOFs have emerged as promising candidates for various advanced applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the design principles and applications of MOFs in chemical sensing.
• To explore the development and utility of nanoscale MOFs (NMOFs) as imaging contrast agents.
• To discuss the potential of NMOFs for clinical translation in biological imaging.

Main Methods:

• Highlighting the unique attributes of MOFs for enhanced sensitivity and selectivity in chemical sensing.
• Designing and synthesizing nanoscale MOFs (NMOFs) with specific properties for imaging.
• Evaluating NMOF performance in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), X-ray computed tomography (CT), and optical imaging.

Main Results:

• MOFs exhibit enhanced sensitivity and selectivity for chemical sensing applications.
• NMOFs demonstrate potential as effective contrast agents due to their high cargo capacity, ease of modification, and biodegradability.
• Representative NMOFs have been successfully applied in MRI, CT, and optical imaging modalities.

Conclusions:

• MOFs are highly adaptable materials for chemical sensing, with ongoing efforts to address practical implementation challenges.
• NMOFs present a promising platform for developing advanced, biodegradable imaging agents.
• The compositional tunability and mild synthesis of NMOFs are expected to accelerate their clinical translation.