Nengxiu Zhu, Jiayi Wu, Chunqing Ji, Dan Zhao
2026.5.20ISRAEL JOURNAL OF CHEMISTRY
Abstract
With the rapid development of reticular chemistry, metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have evolved from esthetically appealing porous crystals into function‐tailorable materials that can be precisely designed at the molecular level, enabling broad opportunities in gas storage and separation, catalysis, sensing, and biomedical‐related technologies. Nevertheless, most MOFs are obtained as fragile crystalline powders, and their limited processability remains a major barrier to implementation in pressure/temperature/vacuum swing adsorption, membrane‐based separations, and other continuous industrial processes. Therefore, a central challenge lies in achieving macroscopic shaping and interfacial stabilization while preserving framework integrity and pore accessibility. Guided by the principles of reticular chemistry, this review systematically summarizes recent advances in transforming MOFs from porous crystals into processable and integrable materials. Three representative engineering routes—particle engineering, membrane fabrication, and surface coating—are highlighted, with emphasis on their distinct mechanisms for maintaining structural connectivity, regulating interfaces, and enhancing multiscale stability. By comparing these strategies with respect to porosity retention, mechanical robustness, and process compatibility, this review establishes a structure–interface–performance framework that provides conceptual guidance for translating MOFs from laboratory materials into practical engineering systems.
Citation format
ZHU, Nengxiu, et al. Engineering processing of metal–organic frameworks: From porous crystals to processable composites. ISRAEL JOURNAL OF CHEMISTRY, 2026, 66(4).