Issue 16, 2023

Energy–structure–property relationships in uranium metal–organic frameworks

Abstract

Located at the foot of the periodic table, uranium is a relatively underexplored element possessing rich chemistry. In addition to its high relevance to nuclear power, uranium shows promise for small molecule activation and photocatalysis, among many other powerful functions. Researchers have used metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) to harness uranium's properties, and in their quest to do so, have discovered remarkable structures and unique properties unobserved in traditional transition metal MOFs. More recently, (e.g. the last 8–10 years), theoretical calculations of framework energetics have supplemented structure–property studies in uranium MOFs (U-MOFs). In this Perspective, we summarize how these budding energy–structure–property relationships in U-MOFs enable a deeper understanding of chemical phenomena, enlarge chemical space, and elevate the field to targeted, rather than exploratory, discovery. Importantly, this Perspective encourages interdisciplinary connections between experimentalists and theorists by demonstrating how these collaborations have elevated the entire U-MOF field.

Graphical abstract: Energy–structure–property relationships in uranium metal–organic frameworks

Article information

Article type
Perspective
Submitted
12 2 2023
Accepted
02 4 2023
First published
06 4 2023
This article is Open Access

All publication charges for this article have been paid for by the Royal Society of Chemistry
Creative Commons BY license

Chem. Sci., 2023,14, 4219-4229

Energy–structure–property relationships in uranium metal–organic frameworks

S. L. Hanna and O. K. Farha, Chem. Sci., 2023, 14, 4219 DOI: 10.1039/D3SC00788J

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence. You can use material from this article in other publications without requesting further permissions from the RSC, provided that the correct acknowledgement is given.

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