The rules and roles of metal-organic framework in combination with molecular dyes

Molecular dyes are popular in a variety of fields but present challenges that limit their use in a wide range of applications. Recently, the combination of molecular dyes with metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) has been considered as a promising solution to overcome these challenges, as the MOFs impart porosity to protect the constituent molecules, rigidity that stabilizes their structures, flexibility in designing their exterior and interior structures, and crystallinity that holds the molecules in a periodic arrangement. In this review, we describe the rules for combining MOFs with molecular dyes via three different synthetic approaches, and the roles of the MOFs in various applications, including sensors, light emission lasers, and bio-related applications based on molecular dyes. In particular, the key features of MOFs, namely, their porosity, designability, crystallinity, and robustness, are highlighted in conjunction with their effect in each molecular dye-based application. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.