Ternary MOF-on-MOF heterostructures with controllable architectural and compositional complexity via multiple selective assembly
Chao Liu, Qiang Sun, Lina Lin, Jing Wang, Chaoqi Zhang, Chunhong Xia, Tong Bao, Jingjing Wan, Rong Huang, Jin Zou, Chengzhong Yu
Abstract
Assembly of different metal-organic framework (MOF) building blocks into hybrid MOF-on-MOF heterostructures is promising in chemistry and materials science, however the development of ternary MOF-on-MOF heterostructures with controllable architectural and compositional complexity is challenging. Here we report the synthesis of three types of ternary MOF-on-MOF heterostructures via a multiple selective assembly strategy. This strategy relies on the choice of one host MOF with more than one facet that can arrange the growth of a guest MOF, where the arrangement is site-selective without homogenous growth of guest MOF or homogenous coating of guest on host MOF. The growth of guest MOF on a selected site of host MOF in each step provides the opportunity to further vary the combinations of arrangements in multiple steps, leading to ternary MOF-on-MOF heterostructures with tunable complexity. The developed strategy paves the way towards the rational design of intricate and unprecedented MOF-based superstructures for various applications.