Correlated defect nanoregions in a metal–organic framework

Matthew J. Cliffe, Wei Wan, Xiaodong Zou, Philip A. Chater, Annette K. Kleppe, Matthew G. Tucker, Heribert Wilhelm, Nicholas P. Funnell, François-Xavier Coudert and Andrew L Goodwin ()
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Matthew J. Cliffe: Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory, University of Oxford
Wei Wan: Berzeli Center EXSELENT on Porous Materials, Stockholm University
Xiaodong Zou: Berzeli Center EXSELENT on Porous Materials, Stockholm University
Philip A. Chater: Diamond Light Source
Annette K. Kleppe: Diamond Light Source
Matthew G. Tucker: Diamond Light Source
Heribert Wilhelm: Diamond Light Source
Nicholas P. Funnell: Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory, University of Oxford
François-Xavier Coudert: Institut de Recherche de Chimie Paris, CNRS–Chimie ParisTech
Andrew L Goodwin: Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory, University of Oxford

Nature Communications, 2014, vol. 5, issue 1, 1-8

Abstract: Abstract Throughout much of condensed matter science, correlated disorder is a key to material function. While structural and compositional defects are known to exist within a variety of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), the prevailing understanding is that these defects are only ever included in a random manner. Here we show—using a combination of diffuse scattering, electron microscopy, anomalous X-ray scattering and pair distribution function measurements—that correlations between defects can in fact be introduced and controlled within a hafnium terephthalate MOF. The nanoscale defect structures that emerge are an analogue of correlated Schottky vacancies in rocksalt-structured transition metal monoxides and have implications for storage, transport, optical and mechanical responses. Our results suggest how the diffraction behaviour of some MOFs might be reinterpreted, and establish a strategy of exploiting correlated nanoscale disorder as a targetable and desirable motif in MOF design.

Date: 2014
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms5176

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