Alkali-Modified MOF Glasses

Researchers (Published in Nature Chemistry (Nat. Chem.))extended the concept of silicate glass modification to MOF glasses by introducing lithium and sodium benzimidazolate (Li(bim), Na(bim)) into the ZIF-62 framework.

Research Findings

Melt-quenching produced modified MOF glasses with lower glass transition temperatures, higher fragility, and increased density, mirroring trends observed in silicate glass chemistry. Spectroscopic and computational analysis confirmed that sodium ions integrate homogeneously into the MOF glass network, creating undercoordinated environments. Importantly, water treatment can extract the modifiers, increasing porosity through a process analogous to borosilicate glass engineering.

Why It Matters

This work establishes a transferable strategy for tailoring MOF glass properties and opens pathways for applications in optical fibers, coatings, catalysis, and separation membranes.