Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), a new class of organic-inorganic hybrids, have attracted tremendous attention and intriguing potential applications in gas storage, catalysis, sensing, separation and biomedical research because of their large surface area, high adsorption affinity, diverse structures and pore topologies, accessible functionalization of tunnels. However, the low mechanical stability and fine powder of MOFs obtained from traditional MOFs synthesis reactions (e.g. solvothermal methods) are not necessarily the best configuration for the applications outlined above. As a developing research area, metal-organic framework composites (MOF composites) can overcome the drawbacks of MOFs and give improved properties. MOF composites, composed by continuous phase (or matrix) and dispersed phase (or enhancesome), combine the excellent properties of MOFs and balance the shortcomings. In this review, recent advances in MOF composites are highlighted. The continuous phase or dispersed phase combined with MOFs include polymer monoliths, beads, fibers, metal, magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs), graphite oxide (GO), carbon nanotubes (CNTs), quantum dots (QDs), photonic crystals (PCs) and MOFs. MOF composed polymer monoliths, beads and fibers are hybrid materials with the advantages of high mechanical stability, high second surface area, simple and low-cost preparation. Combination of MNPs with MOFs has a great potential application in preparation and separation due to the high speed and compatibility of magnetic separation. Composites derived from MOFs with GO or CNTs give new properties, such as electrical conductivity. The combination of luminescent QDs and the controlled porosity of MOFs can provide molecular sensors at a molecular level. Hybrids of MOFs and MOFs offer heterogeneous structures containing bimodal pore networks. Besides, an outlook for future development in the filed of MOF composites is given. Contents
1 Introduction
2 Classification of metal-organic framework composites
2.1 Metal-organic framework@polymer
2.2 Metal-organic framework@bead
2.3 Metal-organic framework@fiber
2.4 Metal-organic framework@metal
2.5 Metal-organic framework@magnetic nanopar-ticles
2.6 Metal-organic framework@SiO₂/Al₂O₃
2.7 Metal-organic framework@graphite oxide
2.8 Metal-organic framework@carbon nanotube
2.9 Metal-organic framework@quantum dot
2.10 Metal-organic framework@photonic crystal
2.11 Metal-organic framework@metal-organic fram-ework
3 Conclusion and outlook