What is an MOF?

 Metallic Organic Frameworks

To understand what an MOF is, let us imagine you're playing with LEGO blocks. Now, imagine each block to be a molecule and you can connect them together to create various structures. Think about doing this with molecules that connect to each other in a specific way to create structures. 

Technically, a Metallic Organic Framework is defined as a class of compounds which consists of metal clusters, coordinated to ligands to form one/two/three dimensional structures. 

So, you can think of MOFs as tiny structures made by connecting special molecules. These structures have small spaces that can hold other molecules, making them incredibly useful in various scientific and industrial applications. 

Here's how they work:

Molecules connecting: MOFs are made of two types of molecules. One is a metal type, and the other is a bunch of smaller organic molecules. These molecules have the ability to stick to the metal atoms, just like the projections of a LEGO brick that enable it to stick to another brick. 

Building a framework: When the metal atoms and molecules come together, they create a framework. This framework will contain several holes and gaps between the molecules. 

Tiny storage spaces: The gaps and holes in the MOFs framework may be small, but play a vital role in trapping and holding other molecules. Scientists can choose the right MOF and adjust its structure to make it really good at trapping specific molecules. Think of this as having shelves in your LEGO made house that can hold more bricks- or in this case, molecules. 

The applications of MOFs in the modern era is numerous, and prevalent- as it is a topic that is still currently being researched about. MOFs are used in carbon capture and storage of hydrogen for fuel cells due to its quality of being highly porous. It is also used in sensors to detect specific type of chemicals and in drug delivery systems to release medicines slowly over time.