Elucidating the mechanochemistry of metal organic framework polymorphs

Schematic of enthalpies of formation of ZIF polymorphs. Higher energy means less thermodynamic stability.
Schematic of enthalpies of formation of ZIF polymorphs. Higher energy means less thermodynamic stability.

The research group of Alex Navrotsky recently published a new approach to the transformation of metal organic frameworks (Z. Akimbekov and coworkers, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2017, 139, 7952–7957). The novel mechanochemical synthesis approach overcomes kinetic barriers and unlocks new, more dense phases of increasing thermodynamic stability. This work advances the development of new porous frameworks potentially useful in separations and catalysis, and provides means to control and improve MOF stability.