Chapter 2: PolyMOFs: Molecular Level Integration of MOFs and Polymers

In this chapter, the use of amorphous polymer ligands to prepare novel metal–organic framework (MOF) hybrid materials (polyMOFs) is reviewed. Several studies have shown that polymers containing 1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid (H₂bdc) units can be combined with metal sources to produce porous, crystalline polyMOFs. Studies to understand how the polymer ligand architecture and structure affect the properties of the resulting polyMOFs are discussed. The use of block co-polymers to synthesize block co-polyMOFs (BCPMOFs) has produced materials that have the potential to control the morphology of polyMOF materials, enhance their dispersibility, increase their stability, and potentially modulate other material properties. Finally, strategies to characterize polyMOFs in situ are reviewed. Future directions for the study and applications of polyMOFs are presented.