“Self-assembly” is the spontaneous organization of molecules into higher-order structures – a process crucial for biological materials with sophisticated functions, such as DNA and biomolecular membranes. Recently however, artificial molecular self-assembly has seen explosive development in the field of materials science, allowing for the creation of new functional nanomaterials. For example, Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs), a class of crystalline nanoporous materials, can be synthesized through the self-assembly of metal ions and bridging organic ligands. A large variety of “nanospace materials”, such as Covalent-Organic Frameworks (COFs), Metal-Organic Polyhedra (MOPs), and Porous Organic Cages, have been produced in a similar manner. Their most striking features are the atomic precision with which their structures may be designed, and the ability to impose features of these structures upon the molecules and reactions inside. By designing and constructing nanospace materials, then imposing their design on guests, we are making possible the controlled synthesis, arrangement, and recognition of molecules where conventional methods fall short.
Design and construction of nanospace materials
RESEARCH