Principal Investigator Mircea Dinca
Current synthetic methods do not allow precise control over the morphology of the resulting microporous metal-organic frameworks. This prevents the use of these promising materials in practical settings. We are devising new methods that will afford the synthesis and deposition of MOF thin films, membranes, and nanoparticles on various substrates. We also aim to develop soft, solution methods that would enable facile patterning of various solid-state materials on the underlying surface, which is very challenging using current strategies. Possible applications include the synthesis of continuous membranes for gas separations, which are some of the most energy-intensive processes in industry.