Chapter 3: The Dynamic View: Multiscale Characterisation Techniques for Flexible Frameworks

This chapter describes the development of multiscale techniques for the characterisation of flexible frameworks. In the introduction, the reader will be guided in existing ex situ and in situ techniques, used for recognising and unravelling the framework flexibility. In Section 3.2, the common techniques, and approaches for recognising the flexibility by common characterisation techniques are described. Section 3.3 reports on advanced in situ characterisation techniques, which can be used for detailed characterisation of switching mechanisms from different perspectives such as average crystal structure, host–guest interactions, chemical bonding, mechanical stability, and thermodynamics. Section 3.4 provides an overview of the progress in terms of in situ time-resolved techniques, aiming to shine a light on the switching kinetics. Finally, the main challenges and future direction in the characterisation of dynamic metal–organic frameworks are highlighted in the outlook section of the chapter.