Researchers have created a new family of metal-organic frameworks that allow scientists to adjust material properties by altering the combination of metals used in their structure.
Key facts
- •The research team successfully incorporated 16 different metals into a single MOF crystal structure.
- •UoB-116 is the first MOF to combine metals from the d-, p-, and f-blocks of the periodic table.
- •CO₂ uptake capacity was measured at 5.72 mmol/g for the all-dysprosium version and 1.23 mmol/g for the all-lanthanum version.
- •The ability to tune properties like magnetism and porosity allows for 'programmable' materials for gas storage and sensing.
- •The study was conducted by researchers from the universities of Birmingham, Nottingham, and Limerick.
Chemists from the universities of Birmingham, Nottingham, and Limerick have developed a highly adaptable metal-organic framework (MOF) capable of incorporating up to 16 different metals. By adjusting the metallic 'recipe' within the same crystal structure, researchers can tune specific material behaviors, including magnetism, light absorption, porosity, and CO₂ uptake. The findings, published in Angewandte Chemie, suggest a new method for creating programmable materials for applications like gas storage and sensing.
By the numbers
Structure and Composition
The research team created a material known as UoB-116, which is the first reported MOF to combine metals from the d-, p-, and f-blocks of the periodic table within a single framework. The process involved creating 15 individual versions of the material, each containing a different rare-earth metal, before progressively combining them. The final iteration successfully incorporated 16 different metals, including yttrium, indium, and 14 lanthanides.
Tunable Material Properties
The study demonstrates that altering the metallic composition directly impacts the material's physical and chemical characteristics. For instance, increasing the concentration of dysprosium enhanced the material's magnetic response and adjusted its near-infrared light absorption. Conversely, adding more lanthanum reduced the measured surface area of the framework. In terms of gas storage, CO₂ uptake varied significantly based on the metal used, dropping from 5.72 mmol/g in the all-dysprosium version to 1.23 mmol/g in the all-lanthanum version.
Potential Applications
The researchers suggest that this 'mix-and-match' approach allows for the development of programmable materials without the need to design a new structure for every specific requirement. Potential applications for these MOFs include compact hydrogen storage for vehicles, selective carbon capture, and harvesting water from arid air. Other investigated uses include industrial chemical separations, targeted drug delivery, and the storage of toxic semiconductor gases.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by Phys.org.
