Multi-stimuli responsive self-healing metallo-hydrogels: tuning of the gel recovery property

A series of amphiphilic tyrosine based self-healable, multi-stimuli responsive metallo-hydrogels have been discovered. Formation of these hydrogels is highly selective to Ni(2+) ions. The self-healing property and the stiffness of these metallo-hydrogels can be tuned by varying the chain length of the corresponding gelator amphiphile.

Two porous metal–organic frameworks containing zinc–calcium clusters and calcium cluster chains

Two noble Ca-based metal–organic frameworks exhibit the largest surface areas and the highest CO₂ adsorption capacity at 298 K and 1 bar among the Ca-based MOFs reported so far.

Catalysis at the Metallic Nodes of MOFs

The intrinsically high metal content of MOFs makes them appealing for use in catalysis. Over the past few years, a wide variety of MOFs has been intensively studied as catalysts in various liquid phase organic reactions. The most intriguing class of MOF catalysts is that in which the structural nodes themselves act as the catalytic centres. This chapter will give an overview of some research on MOF catalysts in which the metal ions are the active sites. The examples given show that this class of materials offers a unique opportunity to finely tune the active site with tools previously only available in homogeneous complexes. This aspect, combined with their facile recycling, raises high expectations that MOFs can be applied by industry in the near future.

Characterization of MOFs. 2. Long and Local Range Order Structural Determination of MOFs by Combining EXAFS and Diffraction Techniques

This chapter provides an elementary introduction to X‐ray and neutron scattering theory, written with a didactic perspective. At the beginning, the scattering process is introduced in a general way and then a differentiation between crystalline samples and amorphous samples is made, leading to the Bragg equation or to the Debye equation and to the Pair Distribution Function (PDF) approach, respectively. Advantages and disadvantages of the use of X‐rays or neutrons for scattering experiments are underlined. The basics of Extended X‐ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy are also reported. Starting from these basics, five examples have been selected from the recent literature where the concepts described in the first didactic part have been applied to the understanding of the structure of different MOFs materials.