Advancing from MOFs and COFs to Functional Macroscopic Porous Constructs

Area of Science:

• Reticular chemistry
• Materials science
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and covalent-organic frameworks (COFs) are highly porous materials with great potential.
• However, challenges like poor macroscopic structuring, mechanical weakness, and inaccessible pores limit their practical use.
• Developing scalable and robust forms of MOFs and COFs is crucial for broader applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review strategies for assembling MOFs and COFs into macroscopic, 3D-structured porous materials.
• To highlight methods that enhance mechanical strength and porosity control across multiple scales.
• To demonstrate how these structured materials improve reactant accessibility and performance.

Main Methods:

• Exploration of assembly strategies including direct mixing, self-shaping, in situ growth, template-assisted approaches, and 3D printing.
• Focus on creating multi-scale porous structures like aerogels, foams, and sponges.
• Analysis of how these methods yield tunable porosity from molecular to macroscopic levels.

Main Results:

• Successful assembly of MOFs and COFs into macroscopic structures with excellent mechanical strength.
• Achieved tunable porosity from the molecular to macroscopic scale.
• Demonstrated enhanced accessibility of micro- and meso-porosities for target reactants compared to neat powders.

Conclusions:

• Macroscopic structuring of MOFs and COFs significantly overcomes limitations of powdered forms.
• These structured materials exhibit improved mechanical properties and accessible porosity.
• This advancement enables MOF and COF applications in environmental remediation, CO2 capture, catalysis, water harvesting, and EM shielding.