Strategies for Pore Engineering in Zirconium Metal-Organic Frameworks

Pore engineering is the design and synthesis of porous structures with desired pore environments and properties. It includes, but is not limited to, pore construction, functionalization, combination, and partitioning. This review explores current strategies utilized to engineer pores in zirconium metal-organic frameworks (Zr-MOFs). Zr-MOFs are viewed as one of the most promising MOF materials for practical applications because of their diverse topologies, excellent stability, unique properties, and versatile functions. The structural modification of the intrinsic cavities within Zr-MOFs results in alteration of functionality, such as selective recognition and cooperative behavior. This structure-property relationship highlights the importance of constructing pore spaces with precisely controlled sizes and functionalities for various chemical processes. Altogether, we aim to offer fresh insights into the design of porous materials with enhanced structural complexity and functionality, which will expand the synthetic toolkit for the future development of increasingly complex functional MOFs with tailored pore environments.