Functional Materials via Crystal- and Nano-engineering of Metal-Organic Frameworks

技术概要：金属有机框架（M0 F）在过去十年中吸引了大量的关注，这是由于能够通过对构成构件的修饰来系统地设计M0 F中所需的化学和物理性质。 PI将在此提案中追求两个截然不同的目标？用于储氢的高稳定性和多孔MOFs的晶体工程和用于核-壳纳米结构的模板合成以及生物医学成像和药物递送中的潜在应用的MOFs的纳米工程。 在第一个目标中，将合成基于4，4-连接PtS和4，8-连接Scu拓扑结构的坚固且高度多孔的M0 F的等网格家族，并评估其氢吸收。 通过系统地调整桥连配体的大小，？富含芳香物质将获得具有不同互穿程度的微孔MOF。 刚性客体分子将被引入到M0 F中以稳定框架，增加微孔表面积，并增强M0 F-氢相互作用。 在第二个目标中，PI建议继续对纳米级MOFs（NMOFs）进行基础研究，并探索其在多个领域的潜在应用。 私家侦探的开创性工作？的实验室已经证明了将MOFs按比例缩小到纳米范围的能力，以产生一类具有可控成分，尺寸，尺寸分布和形态的新型高度可定制的混合纳米材料。 进一步完善的合成方法将允许设计新的分层组装的核-壳纳米结构，用于潜在的光催化质子还原和水氧化，以及合成用于磁共振成像、计算机断层扫描和药物递送的新型生物可降解和生物相容性纳米材料。 这项研究的成功不仅将对可再生和可持续的未来能源战略产生重要影响，而且将为改善人类健康做出积极贡献。 非技术性总结：该DMR提案旨在合理合成一类新的混合材料，即金属有机框架（MOFs），在体和纳米尺度上。 大体积MOF材料的系统工程将允许合成新的储氢材料，这将使氢基燃料电池技术用于移动的电源。 这种储氢材料不仅对国家能源安全，而且对减少环境污染至关重要。 将MOFs按比例缩小到纳米范围允许合成一类具有可控组成、尺寸、尺寸分布和形态的新型高度可定制的杂化纳米材料。 这样的纳米级MOFs（NMOFs）将被用来模板的合成新的分层组装的核-壳纳米结构的光催化质子还原和水氧化，以及用于生物传感，生物医学成像和药物输送的新型生物可降解和生物相容性纳米材料的合成。 PI还将积极参与多层次的人才培养，包括高中生，本科生，研究生和博士后研究助理。 因此，拟议的研究将大大有助于NSF？除了对我们国家的潜在影响外，美国的使命是促进和整合研究和教育？未来的能源技术和医疗保健。

TECHNICAL SUMMARY: Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have attracted a great deal of attention over the past decade, due to the ability to systematically engineer desired chemical and physical properties in MOFs via modifications of the constituent building blocks. The PI will pursue two very different objectives in this proposal?crystal engineering of highly stable and porous MOFs for hydrogen storage and nano-engineering of MOFs for potential applications in templated synthesis of core-shell nanostructures and in biomedical imaging and drug delivery. In the first objective, isoreticular families of robust and highly porous MOFs based on both 4,4-connected PtS and 4,8-connected Scu topologies will be synthesized and evaluated for hydrogen uptake. By systematically tuning the size of the bridging ligands, ?aromatics-rich? microporous MOFs with different degrees of interpenetration will be obtained. Rigid guest molecules will be incorporated into MOFs to stabilize the frameworks, to increase microporous surface areas, and to enhance the MOF-hydrogen interactions. In the second objective, the PI proposes to continue fundamental studies on nanoscale MOFs (NMOFs) and explore their potential applications in a number of areas. Pioneering work from the PI?s lab has demonstrated the ability to scale-down MOFs to the nano-regime to generate a new class of highly tailorable hybrid nanomaterials with controllable compositions, sizes, size distributions, and morphologies. Further refinement of the synthetic methodologies will allow the design of novel hierarchically assembled core-shell nanostructures for potential photocatalytic proton reduction and water oxidation and the synthesis of novel biodegradable and biocompatible nanomaterials for magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, and drug delivery. The success of this research will not only have important impact on a renewable and sustainable future energy strategy, but also make positive contributions to improved human health. NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: This DMR proposal aims at the rational synthesis of a new class of hybrid materials, namely metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), at both the bulk and nanometer scales. Systematic engineering of the bulk MOF materials will allow for the synthesis of new hydrogen storage materials which will enable hydrogen-based fuel cell technology for mobile power sources. Such hydrogen storage materials are of paramount importance not only to the national energy security but also to the reduction of environmental pollution. Scaling down of MOFs to the nanometer regime allows the synthesis of a new class of highly tailorable hybrid nanomaterials with controllable compositions, sizes, size distributions, and morphologies. Such nanoscale MOFs (NMOFs) will be used to template the synthesis of novel hierarchically assembled core-shell nanostructures for photocatalytic proton reduction and water oxidation, as well as for the synthesis of novel biodegradable and biocompatible nanomaterials for biological sensing, biomedical imaging, and drug delivery. The PI will also be actively involved in personnel training at multiple levels, including high school students, undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral research associates. The proposed research will thus significantly contribute to NSF?s mission on promoting and integrating research and education in addition to its potential impact on our nation?s future energy technologies and health care.