Interconversion and functional composites of metal-organic frameworks and hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks

Abstract

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), an emerging class of highly ordered crystalline porous materials, exhibit structural tunability, high specific surface area, well-defined pores, and diverse pore environments and morphologies, rendering them suitable for various potential applications. Additionally, hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (HOFs), constructed from organic molecules with complementary hydrogen-bonding patterns, are rapidly evolving into a novel category of porous materials due to their facile mild preparation conditions, solution processability, easy regeneration capability, and excellent biocompatibility. These distinctive advantages have garnered significant attention across diverse fields. Given that many MOF linkers can serve as building blocks for constructing HOFs and considering the inherent binding affinity between MOFs and HOFs, their combination holds promise in creating functional materials with enhanced performance. This feature paper provides an introduction to the interconversion between MOFs and HOFs followed by highlighting the emerging applications of MOF/HOF composites. Finally, we briefly discuss the current challenges associated with future perspectives on MOF/HOF composites.