Synthesis Methods and Crystallization of MOFs

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a class of porous crystalline materials constructed of metal centres with organic linkers, creating one-, two-, or three-dimensional well-organized frameworks with very high surface areas. The study of MOFs has become one of the research hot spots in many fields, owing to the broad potential applications projected for these materials in various areas. It is well recognized that synthesis strategies dictate the structure and thus the properties and performance of the resulted MOFs. This chapter provides a comprehensive up-to-date overview on the modulated synthesis strategies for MOFs. The ability to control crystal morphology and size by a number of modulated synthesis methods is illustrated by the zirconium-terephthalate-based MOF, the UiO-66, and a number of other MOFs.