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Updated: Jan 28, 2026
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Synthesis and Characterization of Functionalized Metal-organic Frameworks
Published on: September 5, 2014
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Color-tunable lanthanide metal-organic framework gels.
Fei Chen1, Yong-Mei Wang1, Weiwei Guo1
1State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology , Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition , College of Chemistry , Nankai University , Tianjin , 300071 , China .
Chemical Science
|March 8, 2019
Summary
We developed novel fluorescent gels with intrinsic, tunable colors using 5-boronoisophthalic acid and lanthanide ions. These hybrid gels offer a simpler alternative to extrinsic luminophore methods for advanced applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Supramolecular Chemistry
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Fluorescent gels enhance material performance, but integrating luminophores is complex.
- Existing methods often involve intricate procedures for embedding or crosslinking extrinsic fluorescent materials.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report the first intrinsic and tunable fluorescent gels.
- To utilize 5-boronoisophthalic acid (5-bop) and lanthanide ions (Eu3+, Tb3+, Dy3+) for gel synthesis.
- To explore the mechanism behind the tunable emission and gel formation.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of gels using 5-boronoisophthalic acid and lanthanide ions (Ln3+), mimicking metal-organic framework (MOF) preparation.
- Characterization of single-metal and mixed-metal gels to observe fluorescence properties.
- Investigation of the nucleation-growth mechanism and nanoribbon formation.
Main Results:
- Developed gels with intrinsic, tunable trichromatic fluorescence by adjusting Ln3+ type and ratio.
- Achieved full-color emission excited by a single wavelength (275 nm) via an antenna effect.
- Identified nanoribbon formation driven by Ln3+ coordination, boric acid interactions, and steric factors, leading to hybrid gels.
Conclusions:
- This work presents the first example of gels with inherent, tunable emission colors.
- The synthesized gels possess unique optical and viscoelastic properties.
- Potential applications include tunable light emission devices and multi-target detection systems.
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