Fundamental Structure – Mechanical Property Correlations of Hybrid Framework Materials

Fundamental Structure–Mechanical Property Correlations of Hybrid Framework Materials [2011]

 

 

This is the first review article focussing on the mechanical properties of inorganic-organic framework materials, including MOFs and dense hybrid frameworks.

In contrast to the sheer number of recent publications which dealt with synthesis of novel framework structures and characterisation of their diverse functional properties, studies devoted to understanding the mechanical properties of hybrid frameworks are comparatively few. The aim of this critical review is thus to bridge this gap by highlighting the recent advances with a view to stimulate further research in this important field. Undoubtedly, the structural robustness and resilience of hybrid framework materials under (static and/or dynamic) mechanical stresses are central to the optimal performance of the wide range of technological applications envisaged.

Here we present the elasticity of hybrid materials by considering their Young’s modulus, Poisson’s ratio, bulk modulus and shear modulus; this is followed by their hardness, plasticity, yield strength and fracture behaviour. Experimental work on single crystals and amorphised monoliths involved primarily the application of nanoindentation, AFM, and high-pressure X-ray crystallography. Theoretical studies, on the other hand, encompassed the application of first-principles density functional (DFT) calculations and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations.