Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are promising porous materials for a variety of applications. However, they suffer from poor processing and shaping properties. A possible solution are composite materials made from MOFs and organic polymers, e.g., by directly binding the MOF to the polymer moiety through coordination, grafting, or polymerization.

Shao‐Ming Fang, Miao Du, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, China, and colleagues have developed a mesoporous MOF based on multi-carboxylate ligands with active amino groups. The material shows intense blue luminescence under UV irradiation. By incorporation of different metal ions, the luminescence of the MOF is significantly enhanced or quenched, depending on the ion. This effect can be used to selectively detect Fe³⁺ ions. Fe³⁺ cause a complete quenching of the luminescence.

Because the MOF powder is not sufficiently processable and portable for probe applications, the researchers copolymerized it with polyurethane acrylate by using amino groups in the MOF pore walls and isocyanate groups in the polymer. This resulted in a polymer plate that preserved the transparent and elastic features of the original polymer and even showed enhanced selectivity for Fe³⁺ detection compared to the pure MOF.

• Metal-Organic Framework Supported on Processable Polymer Matrix by In Situ Copolymerization for Enhanced Iron(III) Detection,
  Chun-Sen Liu, Min Chen, Jia-Yue Tian, Lei Wang, Min Li, Shao-Ming Fang, Xi Wang, Li-Ming Zhou, Zhuo-Wei Wang, Miao Du,
  Chem. Eur. J. 2017.
  DOI: 10.1002/chem.201604210