Synthetic Control of Crystal Morphology in Metal-Organic Frameworks

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) hold promise across a wide range of applications, including gas storage and separations, delivery of therapeutic agents, catalysis, and sensing. MOF crystal phase, morphology, and surface chemistry, all results of the crystallization process, dictate the bulk properties of the MOF such as active surface area, separation efficiency, and overall performance. Indeed, rationally designed MOF crystals have the potential to allow substantial energy savings in industrial separations and to open up new opportunities in catalysis. Despite this potential, there is currently little understanding of the synthetic principles behind MOF crystallization, and the synthesis of MOF crystals of a given phase or morphology typically relies on brute-force strategies, including trial-and-error and high-throughput screening rather than rational design. In this talk, I will discuss new methods for rationally controlling the size and shape of anisotropic MOF crystals.