Formation, Growth, and Properties of Metal-Organic Frameworks from 2D to 3D: A Scanning Probe Microscopy Approach

Promovendus/a: Antonino Cucinotta

Promotor(en): Prof. dr. Steven De Feyter, De heer Kunal Mali

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are porous materials characterized by an ordered, crystalline structure. Thanks to their metal centers and tunable cavities of varying shapes and sizes, they find applications as catalysts, sensors, molecular sieves, and for gas separation and storage. Understanding how the structure of these materials influences their properties is essential for the design of MOFs optimized for specific applications. In this PhD Thesis, we use an advanced set of microscopy techniques called "scanning probe microscopy" to directly visualize the structure of MOFs, allowing us to see single molecules and cavities. Our work is performed in a liquid environment with MOFs supported on solid substrates. Measuring in liquids allows us to directly track the evolution of these materials as we vary the experimental conditions. Ultimately, our work opens new possibilities to advance our knowledge on the structure-function relationship in MOFs.