Interface construction in microporous metal-organic frameworks from luminescent terbium-based building blocks

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Supramolecular Chemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Functionalized interfaces in metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are key for guest interactions and material applications.
• Terbium-based 12-connected building units provide a versatile platform for MOF construction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize four isoreticular MOFs (FDM-34-37) with diverse linker functionalities and edge lengths.
• To investigate the relationship between terbium luminescence and interfacial energy transfer within the MOFs.
• To explore the potential applications of these MOFs based on their luminescence and active sites.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of four isoreticular MOFs (FDM-34-37) with fcu-a topology using terbium-based building units and linear organic linkers.
• Characterization of MOFs using single-crystal X-ray diffraction.
• Measurement of surface areas (up to 1850 m²/g) and pore size tuning.
• Investigation of luminescence properties and metal-linker energy transfer mechanisms.

Main Results:

• Four new MOFs (FDM-34-37) were successfully synthesized in single-crystal form with varying linker lengths (17.4–23.8 Å) and functionalities (naphthalene, bipyridine, stilbene, triphenyl).
• The MOFs exhibit high surface areas and distinct, tunable pore sizes.
• A clear relationship was established between terbium luminescence and interfacial energy transfer involving metal and linker components.

Conclusions:

• The synthesized MOFs offer precisely engineered interfaces with tunable pore environments.
• The interplay between terbium luminescence and linker functionalities enables potential applications in sensing and catalysis.
• These functionalized MOFs demonstrate significant promise for advanced material applications due to their unique interfacial properties.