Electrically Conductive Porous Metal-Organic Frameworks

Owing to their outstanding structural, chemical, and functional diversity, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have attracted considerable attention over the last two decades in a variety of energy-related applications. Notably missing among these, until recently, were applications that required good charge transport coexisting with porosity and high surface area. Although most MOFs are electrical insulators, several materials in this class have recently demonstrated excellent electrical conductivity and high charge mobility. Herein we review the synthetic and electronic design strategies that have been employed thus far for producing frameworks with permanent porosity and long-range charge transport properties. In addition, key experiments that have been employed to demonstrate electrical transport, as well as selected applications for this subclass of MOFs, will be discussed. MOFs conduct: Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) that simultaneously display permanent porosity and electrical conductivity are an emerging class of materials that display promise for a wide variety of next-generation technologies. This Review describes recent progress in this rapidly developing field, with a focus on the design principles that have enabled long-range charge transport in MOFs.