New breakthrough in scientific research: Scientists unlock new MOF glass design codes, assisting in the development of the next generation of glass

2026-05-14 10:01:07

An international research team composed of institutions such as the University of Birmingham and the University of Dortmund has successfully achieved precise control of metal organic framework (MOF) glass using classic chemical principles that have been in use for hundreds of years, opening up a new path for the development of a new generation of functional glass. The research results have been published in the journal Nature Chemistry.

MOF glass is a new type of glass material composed of metal atoms and organic molecules, which has excellent gas adsorption and water storage capabilities and can efficiently capture key gases such as carbon dioxide and hydrogen. This study confirms that this new type of glass can achieve flexible performance adjustment and structural design like traditional glass.

The research team found that adding trace compounds containing sodium or lithium to MOF glass can significantly change the structure and properties of the material: not only can it reduce the softening temperature of the glass, but it can also adjust its flow characteristics after heating. This key discovery sets up a new design framework, making the development of customized MOF glass possible and potentially driving innovation in high-performance materials in fields such as gas separation, chemical storage, and high-end coatings.

ZIF-62 is currently the most representative MOF glass material. As a porous material, it can still retain some internal pores after melting and cooling, which makes it highly valuable in gas separation, thin film preparation, catalytic applications, and other scenarios.

To investigate the mechanism of sodium additives on the internal structure of glass, the research team relied on advanced characterization technology to carry out research. Dr. Dominik Kubicki and Dr. Benjamin Gallant from the University of Birmingham led the team to complete high-temperature solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy experiments using the UK's high field solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance platform, achieving atomic level analysis of modified glass structures and accurately revealing the process of sodium ions integrating into the glass network and breaking the original connections.

Meanwhile, a research team led by Professor Andrew Morris and Dr. Mario Ongkiko used Artificial Intelligence driven computational models, combined with machine learning assisted simulations, to decipher complex nuclear magnetic resonance data and verify the interaction mechanism between sodium ions and glass structures - sodium ions do not simply fill voids, but replace some zinc atoms, gradually relaxing the overall structure of the material.

The research team stated that further in-depth research will be conducted to improve the stability of the material, optimize performance prediction models, and conduct practical application scenario testing, fully tapping into its potential in advanced technology fields.