A Luminescent Dye@MOF Platform: Emission Fingerprint Relationships of Volatile Organic Molecules

Design and application of dual-emission metal-organic framework-based ratiometric fluorescence sensors

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are novel inorganic-organic hybridized crystals with a wide range of applications. In the last twenty years, fluorescence sensing based on MOFs has attracted much attention. MOFs can exhibit luminescence from metal nodes, ligands or introduced guests, which provides an excellent fluorescence response in sensing. However, single-signal emitting MOFs are susceptible to interference from concentration, environment, and excitation intensity, resulting in poor accuracy. To overcome the shortcomings, dual-emission MOF-based ratiometric fluorescence sensors have been proposed and rapidly developed. In this review, we first introduce the luminescence mechanisms, synthetic methods, and detection mechanisms of dual-emission MOFs, highlight the strategies for constructing ratiometric fluorescence sensors based on dual-emission MOFs, and classify them into three categories: intrinsic dual-emission and single-emission MOFs with luminescent guests, and non-emission MOFs with other luminescent materials. Then, we summarize the recent advances in dual-emission MOF-based ratiometric fluorescence sensors in various analytical industries. Finally, we discuss the current challenges and prospects for the future development of these sensors.

Highly efficient determination of trace ascorbic acid in vitamin C tablets by boronate affinity-modified magnetic metal-organic frameworks

Ascorbic acid (AA) plays an important role in many life processes. The chronic nutritional deficiency of AA will lead to the symptoms of scurvy. Therefore, the sensitive quantitative detection of AA is most important in the pharmaceutical analysis, food industry and diagnostic application. In this study, a dual-functional magnetic metal-organic frameworks (Fe3O4@SiO2@UiO-PBA) nanoparticles was synthesized by modifying phenylboronic acid to the surface of magnetic UiO-66-NH2 via postsynthetic modification for selectively and sensitively florescent detection of AA. Due to the abundant amino groups and grafted phenylboronic acid, the proposed nanoparticles have the dual properties of hydrophilicity and boronate affinity. Under optimum conditions, the obtained Fe3O4@SiO2@UiO-PBA nanoparticles can detect AA within 30 s, and has a good linear relationship with the concentration of AA in the range of 5.0-60 μM with a detection limit of 2.5 μM (S/N = 3). In addition, the prepared Fe3O4@SiO2@UiO-PBA nanoparticles showed excellent selectivity and great potential application in the highly efficient determination of trace AA in vitamin C tablets. These results indicated that a convenient method was proposed to develop fluorescent probes for rapid and sensitive detection of trace AA in real samples.

Bifunctionalized Metal-Organic Frameworks for Pore-Size-Dependent Enantioselective Sensing

Porosity is a fundamental property of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). However, the role of the pore size has always been underestimated in MOF-based luminescent sensors for enantioselective sensing. The construction of isoreticular MOFs (IRMOFs) with variable pore sizes and the synergy between chirality and luminescence is challenging. Herein, a general strategy was developed to introduce chirality into two well-known IRMOF-74 analogs with nanochannels of identical shapes but different pore sizes by functionalizing the open metal site under mild conditions. To enhance the detection accuracy, a second luminescent center was introduced into the IRMOF-74 system to achieve ratiometric sensing. The two bifunctionalized IRMOF-74 compounds exhibited pore-size-dependent sensing performance for enantiomers. This study not only provides a convenient method to construct chiral MOFs as advanced sensing materials but also reveals the fundamental of the pores in MOF-based luminescent sensors.

Stable dual-emissive fluorescin@UiO-67 metal-organic frameworks for visual and ratiometric sensing of Al3+ and ascorbic acid

Encapsulation of fluorophore in metal organic framework (MOF) is an effective method to construct multi-emissive composites. Unfortunately, the small molecules loaded in MOF pores are easy to leak. To overcome this difficulty, fluorescin (FL) is proposed to be encapsulated tightly in the cage of the small tetrahedron of UiO-67, as one of the organic ligands coordinated with the central ion Zr. Finally, stable multi-emission fluorescence was successfully achieved, and Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) occurred between FL and UiO-67. Ascorbic acid (AA) can dynamically quench the fluorescence of FL@UiO-67 nanoclusters (NCs) through internal filtering effect, photoinduced electron transfer (PET). The detection limit of the probe for AA was as low as 0.20 μM, and the detection range was 0.67 μM-0.36 mM. The probe was further employed to detect Al³⁺ due to the coordination between Al³⁺ and the carboxyl group in the FL@UiO-67 NCs. The detection limit for Al³⁺ was 3.3 nM, and the linear range was 11 nM-5 μM agarose film and test paper were both prepared successfully for visual detection of AA and Al³⁺. This work provides new ideas for low-cost and convenient real-time detection method.

Tb3+-Doped Ag-MOFs for fluorescent detection of formaldehyde in a novel smartphone platform and its removal applications in milk products and wastewater

As one kind of reactive carbonyl species (RCS), formaldehyde (FA) with a high concentration could be extremely toxic to living bodies as well as the environment. This paper reports a three-dimensional (3D) Tb3+@Ag-MOFs-based fluorescent probe for fast sensing of FA, which uses a novel turn-on mechanism based on the luminescence induced by Tb3+. The MOF sensor shows broad dynamic ranges of 0.1-1 mM for FA with the detection limit of 1.9 μM. For online and real-time detection of FA, a portable smartphone platform was employed to analyze the RGB values of the fluorescence by a smartphone application. By incorporating this probe into a polyacrylonitrile (PAN) layer, we synthesized a film composite that could effectively remove FA in real samples including milk and chemical factory wastewater, and the removal rate reached 98.52% and 95.38% respectively. Moreover, the potential of the film to remove gaseous FA was confirmed by experiments as well.

Reversible Vapochromic Luminescence Accompanied by Planar Half-Chair Conformational Change of a Propeller-Shaped Boron β-Diketiminate Complex

Leakage of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is one of the most severe industrial problems, because it can cause environmental pollution, global warming, fire, and explosion. Hence, the visualization of leakage is an essential technology to detect it at an early stage. Molecular crystals, fluorescence color of which can be changed by the exposure to VOCs could potentially serve as the sensing materials for realizing rapid and facile VOC detection. However, these materials usually require harsh conditions, such as heating or a vacuum, to recover their initial phases for reuse. Therefore, it remains a challenge to obtain completely reversible sensing systems without such energy-consuming recycling processes. Herein, the reversible color change of fluorescence from the crystals of a propeller-shaped boron β-diketiminate complex is reported. The complex was crystallized in distinct crystalline phases having different luminescent colors. Importantly, these phases were interconverted very rapidly (time constant <60 s) and repeatedly upon exposure to the vapors of the appropriate VOCs. The small energy differences between conformers of the complex could lead to this pseudopolymorphic behavior. This finding could be applied for the development of further eco-friendly reversible sensing materials based on four-coordinated boron complexes.

Lanthanide Metal-Organic Framework-Based Fluorescent Sensor Arrays to Discriminate and Quantify Ingredients of Natural Medicine

The discrimination and quantification of the ingredients from natural medicines are a challenging issue due to their complicated and various structures. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have shown great promise in sensing applications. Here, we report a fluorescent sensor array for rapid identification of some natural compounds using a sensor array composed of four kinds of lanthanide (Eu³⁺ and Tb³⁺) fluorescent MOFs (Ln-MOFs), which have diversified fluorescent responses to 26 active/toxic compounds including 12 saponins, 7 flavonoids, 3 stilbenes, and 4 anthraquinones. The fluorescence of the Ln-MOFs after reaction with the compounds was summarized as datasets and processed by principle component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) methods. The corresponding responses of the 4 types of compounds are well separated on 2D/3D PCA score plots and HCA dendrograms. We have also tested typical blind samples by concentration-dependent PCA, and an accuracy of 100% was obtained. In addition, the response mechanisms of the Ln-MOFs to the compounds were also studied. Compared with traditional methods using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, the developed fluorescent sensor array provides a more efficient and economic strategy to discriminate various active/toxic ingredients in natural medicine.

Innovative Synthetic Procedures for Luminogens Showing Aggregation-Induced Emission

As a consequence of their intrinsic advantageous properties, luminogens that show aggregation-induced emission (AIEgens) have received increasing global interest for a wide range of applications. Whereas general synthetic methods towards AIEgens largely rely on tedious procedures and limited reaction types, various innovative synthetic methods have now emerged as complementary, and even alternative, strategies. In this Review, we systematically highlight advancements made in metal-catalyzed functionalization and metal-free-promoted pathways for the construction of AIEgens over the past five years, and briefly illustrate new perspectives in this area. The development of innovative synthetic procedures will enable the facile synthesis of AIEgens with great structural diversity for multifunctional applications.

Fluorescent "Turn-on" Sensing Based on Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs)

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have evolved as an exciting class of materials in the domain of porous materials. The unique features of these materials arise from the combined properties of metal ions/clusters and organic struts which form the building blocks of these fascinating architectures. Among other multifarious applications, MOFs have shown tremendous applications as sensory materials for a wide variety of species. The signal transduction induced mechanism in these confined nanospaces generate optical output in response to a particular analyte which can be detected by wide variety of detection techniques. Fluorometric methods of sensing is one of widely studied method over past few decades. MOF-based fluorometric detection is a key research theme developed over the past few years. In this review, we give a brief overview of the recent developments of MOFs as "turn-on" sensors for a wide range of analytes (viz. cations, anions, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), etc.).

Pressure-Induced Multiphoton Excited Fluorochromic Metal-Organic Frameworks for Improving MPEF Properties

In multiphoton excited fluorescence (MPEF), high-energy upconversion emission is obtained from low-energy excitation by absorbance of two or more photons simultaneously. In a pressure-induced fluorochromic process, the emission energy is switched by outer pressure stimuli. Now, five metal-organic frameworks containing the same ligand with simultaneous multiphoton absorption and pressure-induced fluorochromic attributes were studied. One-, two-, and three-photon excited fluorescence (1/2/3PEF) can be achieved in the frameworks, which exhibit pressure-induced blue-to-yellow fluorochromism. The performances are closely dependent with the topologies, flexibilities, and packing states of the frameworks and chromophores therein. The multiphoton upconversion performance can be intensified by pressure-related structural contraction. Over ten-fold increment in the 2PA active cross-section up to 2217 GM is achieved in pressed LIFM-114 compared with the 210 GM for pristine sample at 780 nm.

Highly luminescent sensing for nitrofurans and tetracyclines in water based on zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 incorporated with dyes

Antibiotics are one of the emerging contaminants in water, which have a great impact on ecosystems and human health. It has been challenging to simultaneously realize low-cost, rapid, highly sensitive and selective detection of antibiotics with conventional methods. Here, we report luminescent chemosensors for detecting antibiotics in water, based on metal-organic framework (MOF), i.e., zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8), loaded with rhodamine B (RhB) and fluorescein disodium salt (FSS) dyes. Compared with ZIF-8, the fluorescence signals of RhB@ZIF-8 and FSS@ZIF-8 were significantly improved and presented ultrahigh sensitivity to nitrofurans (NFAs) and tetracyclines (TCs) with fluorescence quenching and fluorescence enhancement in water, respectively. The unique structures and properties of RhB@ZIF-8 and FSS@ZIF-8 lead to outstanding sensitivities in antibiotic detection. For instance, the RhB@ZIF-8 sensor shows the lower limit of detection (LOD) of 0.26 μM to nitrofurantoin (NFT), 0.47 μM to nitrofurazone (NFZ), 0.11 μM to tetracycline (TC), and 0.14 μM to oxytetracycline (OTC); while the FSS@ZIF-8 sensor shows the LOD of 0.31 μM to NFT, 0.35 μM to NFZ, 0.17 μM to TC, and 0.16 μM to OTC. In addition, NFT and TC were also successfully detected by FSS@ZIF-8 in water from real water environment. The results indicate that dye@MOF-based luminescent composites are favorable for antibiotic detection, presenting great potentials in water quality monitoring.

Specific detection of hypochlorite based on the size-selective effect of luminophore integrated MOF-801 synthesized by a one-pot strategy

Hypochlorous acid (HClO), as one of the reactive oxygen species, plays a key role in a variety of physiological and pathological processes, while its accurate and specific in vitro monitoring remains a profound challenge. Herein, a novel luminescent metal-organic framework with high chemical stability has been designed for the specific detection of intracellular ClO-. The specificity was realized by the size-selective effect of MOF-801 with an ultra-small aperture, which can inhibit the entry of large-sized interferents into the cages of MOFs. A universal "ship in a bottle" approach has been proposed to construct this novel sensory platform, in which a large class of luminescent molecules containing carboxylic groups serve as modulators and combine with Zr6 clusters, eventually becoming the luminescent genes of these novel designed MOF-801. Luminescent molecules were readily locked in the framework since they were larger than the small pore entrance of MOF-801, skillfully solving the possible issue of dye leakage. By introducing active sites of 5-aminofluorescein (AF) into MOF-801 (AF@MOF-801) as an example, an excellent ClO- sensing probe was fabricated, which showed strong reliability and excellent sensing performance toward intracellular ClO- with an ultrahigh linear correlation of the Stern-Volmer equation, a rapid response time as short as 30 s and a limit of detection (LOD) as low as 0.05172 μM. Compared with the free AF molecular probe, the specificity of AF@MOF-801 NPs toward ClO- was scarcely affected by other possibly coexistent large-sized interferents in biosystems. The in vitro monitoring of ClO- was also tested with these newly developed AF@MOF-801 NPs, prefiguring their great promise as a robust imaging tool to disclose the complexities of ClO- homeostasis and its pathophysiological contributions.

Synthesis and characterization of macroporous europium-doped Ca12Al14O33 (C12A7:Eu3+) and its application in metal ion detection

Macroporous europium-doped Ca₁₂Al₁₄O₃₃ (C12A7:Eu³⁺) was prepared via a sol–gel method followed by heat-treatment, and the resultant macroporous C12A7:Eu³⁺ shows potential for practical application in metal ion detection and has a good response to Pb²⁺ ions.

Ni-hemin metal-organic framework with highly efficient peroxidase catalytic activity: toward colorimetric cancer cell detection and targeted therapeutics

Background

Given the great benefits of artificial enzymes, a simple approach is proposed via assembling of Ni²⁺ with hemin for synthesis of Ni-hemin metal–organic-frameworks (Ni-hemin MOFs) mimic enzyme. The formation of the Ni-hemin MOFs was verified by scanning electron microscopy, Transmission electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and UV–vis absorption spectroscopy. This novel nanocomposite exhibited surprising peroxidase like activity monitored by catalytic oxidation of a typical peroxidase substrate, 3,3,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine, in the presence of H₂O₂. By using folic acid conjugated MOF nanocomposite as a recognition element, we develop a colorimetric assay for the direct detection of cancer cells.

Results

The proposed sensor presented high sensitivity and selectivity for the detection of human breast cancer cells (MCF-7) and Human Caucasian gastric adenocarcinoma. By measuring UV–vis absorbance response, a wide detection range from 50 to 10⁵ cells/mL with a detection limit as low as 10 cells/mLwas reached for MCF-7 cells. We further discuss therapeutics efficiency of Ni-hemin MOFs in the presence of H₂O₂ and ascorbic acid. Peroxidase-mimic Ni-hemin MOFs as reactive oxygen species which could damage MCF-7 cancer cells, however for normal cells (human embryonic kidney HEK 293 cells) killing effect was negligible.

Conclusions

Based on these behaviors, the developed method offers a fast, easy and cheap assay for the interest in future diagnostic and treatment application.

A Trichromatic and White-Light-Emitting MOF Composite for Multi-Dimensional and Multi-Response Ratiometric Luminescent Sensing

Present here is a new dual ratiometric luminescent probe D which is a trichromatic and white-light-emitting metal-organic framework (MOF) composite facilely obtained by incorporating red/green-emitting complex modules into a blue-emitting MOF. Probe D exhibits remarkable capabilities of sensing different volatile organic solvents (VOSs) via 2D code recognition of the two VOS-dependent MOF ligand-to-module ratios of the emission-peak intensities. For specific VOSs, the resultant luminescent color changes from the starting white color are sharp enough to be visible to the naked eye. Remarkably, D can differentiate solution-phase nitroaromatics and metal ions by recording the evolution of the two ratios during titration processes, enabling an unusual 3D code recognition using the titrant amount as the third dimension for the first time. D also can be used to detect dinoseb, Fe³⁺ and Al³⁺ ions quantitatively by analysis of the ratios with detection limits as low as 0.050, 0.41, and 0.12 ppm, respectively. Clearly, such a self-referencing trichromatic probe can maximize the output information and significantly enhance the detection selectivity and sensitivity via multi-dimensional sensing, and has great potentials for practical applications.

Facile and Rapid Growth of Nanostructured Ln-BTC Metal-Organic Framework Films by Electrophoretic Deposition for Explosives sensing in Gas and Cr 3+ Detection in Solution

Until now, it has been a challenge to prepare lanthanide metal-organic framework films on traditional substrates, like zinc plate, indium oxide (ITO), and fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glasses in a rapid and facile method. In this paper, continuous and dense Ln-BTC MOFs films on unmodified low-cost substrates have been rapidly and easily fabricated though the newly developed electrophoretic deposition (EPD) method in 5 min. Moreover, the as-prepared luminescent films were successfully used for the detection of nitrobenzene (NB), trinitrotoluene (TNT) in gas phases, as well as NB, Cr³⁺ ions for detection in solution.

Two Unusual Nanocage-Based Ln-MOFs with Triazole Sites: Highly Fluorescent Sensing for Fe3+ and Cr2 O7 2- , and Selective CO2 Capture

Luminescent metal-organic frameworks (LMOFs) containing fluorescent probes for the detection of pollutants such as organic solvents and heavy metals are becoming increasingly important, with lanthanide-MOF (Ln-MOF) materials receiving greater attention owing to the possibility of achieving fine-tuned luminescent properties. Herein, two unusual isostructural nanocage-based three-dimensional Ln-MOFs, 1-Ln (Ln=Tb, Eu), are constructed, using a new diisophthalate ligand with active Lewis basic triazole sites. Selective gas adsorption, especially the removal of CO₂ from CH₄ , a primary component of natural gas and biogas, is desirable in terms of both economic and environmental considerations. 1-Eu is found to exhibit highly efficient luminescent sensing for Fe³⁺ cations and Cr₂ O₇ ^2- anions, as well as selective CO₂ capture over CH₄ .

Chemical Sensors Based on Metal-Organic Frameworks

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as chemical sensors have developed rapidly in recent years. There have been many papers concerning this field and interest is still growing. The reason is that the specific merits of MOFs can be utilized to enhance sensitivity and selectivity by various energy/charge transfers occurring among different ligands, ligand, and metal centers, such as from ligands to metal centers or metal centers to ligands, as well as from MOF skeletons to guest species. This review intends to provide an update on recent progress in various applications of different MOF-based sensors on the basis of their luminescent and electrochemical responses towards small molecules, gas molecules, ions (cations and anions), pH, humidity, temperature, and biomolecules. MOF-based sensors function by utilizing different mechanisms, including luminescent responses of "turn-on" and "turn-off", as well as electrochemical responses.

Waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET) materials as sustainable precursors for the synthesis of nanoporous MOFs, MIL-47, MIL-53(Cr, Al, Ga) and MIL-101(Cr)

Waste PET to useful MOFs: simple, novel, and sustainable methods have been developed for the first time, for the effective conversion of waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET) materials into valuable MOF materials.