Switchable Surface Hydrophobicity-Hydrophilicity of a Metal-Organic Framework

Abstract

Materials with surfaces that can be switched from high/superhydrophobicity to superhydrophilicity are useful for myriad applications. Herein, we report a metal-organic framework (MOF) assembled from Zn^II ions, 1,4-benzenedicarboxylate, and a hydrophobic carborane-based linker. The MOF crystal-surface can be switched between hydrophobic and superhydrophilic through a chemical treatment to remove some of the building blocks.

Keywords: carboranes; hydrophilicity; hydrophobicity; metal-organic frameworks; surface chemistry.