High Thermopower in a Zn-Based 3D Semiconductive Metal–Organic Framework

Conductive metal–organic frameworks (c-MOFs) have drawn increasing attention for their outstanding performance in energy-related applications. However, the majority of reported c-MOFs are based on 2D structures. Synthetic strategies for 3D c-MOFs are under-explored, leaving unrealized functionality in both their structures and properties. Herein we report Zn-HAB, a 3D c-MOF comprised of hexaaminobenzene and Zn(II). Zn-HAB is shown to have microporosity with a band gap of approximately 1.68 eV, resulting in a moderate conductivity of 0.86 mS cm–1 and a high Seebeck coefficient of 200 μV K–1 at 300 K. The power factor of 3.44 nW m–1 K–2 constitutes the first report of the thermoelectric properties of an intrinsically conductive 3D MOF.