Zr-based metal-organic frameworks: design, synthesis, structure, and applications

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Chemistry

Background:

• Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are advanced porous materials with diverse applications.
• Zirconium-based MOFs (Zr-MOFs) are a particularly promising subclass due to their exceptional stability and structural versatility.
• Despite their potential, Zr-MOFs are still in the early stages of development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive review of advances in Zr-MOFs since 2008.
• To summarize progress in Zr-MOF design, synthesis, structure, and applications.
• To guide future research towards practical Zr-MOF applications.

Main Methods:

• Literature review focusing on Zr-MOFs published since 2008.
• Analysis of synthesis strategies, including scale-up preparation.
• Classification and discussion of Zr-MOF structures based on building units and ligands.
• Highlighting key applications in catalysis, separation, drug delivery, and sensing.

Main Results:

• Four effective synthesis strategies for Zr-MOFs are presented, with emphasis on green and scalable methods.
• Zr-MOFs exhibit diverse structural types, influenced by secondary building units and organic linkers.
• Significant applications are demonstrated in catalysis, molecule adsorption/separation, drug delivery, and fluorescence sensing.

Conclusions:

• Zr-MOFs represent a highly promising class of materials for various technological applications.
• Continued research into their synthesis and structural control will accelerate their practical implementation.
• This review provides a valuable resource for researchers developing Zr-MOFs for real-world uses.