Reticular Nanoscience: Bottom-Up Assembly Nanotechnology

The chemistry of metal-organic and covalent organic frameworks (MOFs and COFs) is perhaps the most diverseand inclusive among the chemical sciences, and yet it can be radically expanded by blending it with nanotechnology. The result isreticular nanoscience, an area of reticular chemistry that has an immense potential in virtually any technologicalfield. In thisperspective, we explore the extension of such an interdisciplinary reach by surveying the explored and unexplored possibilities thatframework nanoparticles can offer. We localize these unique nanosized reticular materials at the juncture between the molecular andthe macroscopic worlds, and describe the resulting synthetic and analytical chemistry, which is fundamentally different fromconventional frameworks. Such differences are mirrored in the properties that reticular nanoparticles exhibit, which we describedwhile referring to the present state-of-the-art and future promising applications in medicine, catalysis, energy-related applications,and sensors. Finally, the bottom-up approach of reticular nanoscience, inspired by nature, is brought to its full extension byintroducing the concept of augmented reticular chemistry. Its approach departs from a single-particle scale to reach highermesoscopic and even macroscopic dimensions, where framework nanoparticles become building units themselves and the resultingsupermaterials approach new levels of sophistication of structures and properties

Automated summary

The chemistry of metal-organic and covalent organic frameworks (MOFs and COFs) is highly diverse and inclusive. When blended with nanotechnology, it forms reticular nanoscience with immense potential in various technological fields. This article explores the possibilities of framework nanoparticles, their unique properties, and potential applications in medicine, catalysis, energy, and sensors. It also introduces the concept of augmented reticular chemistry, which aims to reach higher dimensions and complexity in materials.