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Updated: Apr 11, 2026

Development of Heterogeneous Enantioselective Catalysts using Chiral Metal-Organic Frameworks MOFs
Published on: January 17, 2020
Interfacial Super-Assembled Hetero-Structured Chiral Nanochannels for Enantioseparation Applications
Yanan Huang1,2,3, Nengqi Xu2, Zerui Li2
1Quzhou Fudan Institute, Fudan University, Quzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Abstract:
Chirality is a fundamental property with profound implications in fields like pharmaceuticals, yet the separation of enantiomers remains a significant technical hurdle. This review chronicles the development of interfacial super-assembled hetero-structured chiral nanochannel membranes, a transformative approach for enantioseparation. We begin by systematically summarizing the construction of these hierarchical membranes from zero- to three-dimensional building blocks, employing a versatile toolbox of interfacial assembly strategies including phase inversion, electrospinning, and vacuum filtration. The design principles of pore-in-pore, pore-on-pore, and multichannel configurations are detailed, demonstrating how they break the conventional permeability-selectivity trade-off. The core transport mechanisms including diffusion-selective, adsorption-selective, and the recently proposed couple-accelerated-selective transport are elucidated. The review also surveys representative material systems, from metal-organic frameworks (MOF) to molecularly imprinted polymers (MIP). We conclude with a forward-looking perspective on persistent challenges, such as scalability and stability, and the immense opportunities presented by artifacial intelligence (AI)-assisted design and bioinspired dynamic membranes for the future of chiral technologies.
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