Correlated defect nanoregions in a metal-organic framework

Journal article

Throughout much of condensed matter science, correlated disorder is a key to material function. While structural and compositional defects are known to exist within a variety of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), the prevailing understanding is that these defects are only ever included in a random manner. Here we show—using a combination of diffuse scattering, electron microscopy, anomalous X-ray scattering and pair distribution function measurements—that correlations between defects can in fact be introduced and controlled within a hafnium terephthalate MOF. The nanoscale defect structures that emerge are an analogue of correlated Schottky vacancies in rocksalt-structured transition metal monoxides and have implications for storage, transport, optical and mechanical responses. Our results suggest how the diffraction behaviour of some MOFs might be reinterpreted, and establish a strategy of exploiting correlated nanoscale disorder as a targetable and desirable motif in MOF design.

Authors: Cliffe, M; Wan, W; Zou, X; Chater, P; Kleppe, A

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Springer Nature
• Journal: Nature Communications
• Volume: 5
• Issue: 1
• Article number: 4176
• Publication date: 2014-06-20
• Acceptance date: 2014-05-21
• DOI: 10.1038/ncomms5176
• ISSN: 2041-1723
• Language: English
• Subjects: Materials science; Chemistry, Inorganic