(293b) Controlling Metal Organic Framework Thin Film Crystallization Using Dynamic Processes

Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) are periodic, highly porous materials that are made by combining metal ion clusters with organic linkers. The diversity available in metal ions as well as organic linkers can be used to create numerous MOFs, with thousands of structures already synthesized over the past two decades. Due to their chemical tunability as well as the control over pore size, shape and volume, MOFs have been studied for a wide variety of applications, including gas storage, separations, catalysis, energy storage, sensing and drug delivery. However, most of the research on MOFs have focused on controlling the chemical structure, and there is comparatively less work available on controlling the crystalline morphology of MOFs. For example, for many of the applications mentioned above, such as sensing, separations and charge/ion transport, it is beneficial for the MOF to be grown as a thin film with large aspect ratios, instead of as compact single crystals. Our work utilizes kinetic crystallization techniques, with the use of traditional crystal nucleation and growth understanding to create MOF structures with highly tunable aspect ratios, as thin films, rods, and various shapes. This presentation will discuss both chemical as well as processing parameters that can control MOF crystallization and how these processes can be used to create different MOF shapes for sensing and separations.