Crystalline Metal-Peptide Networks: Structures, Applications, and Future Outlook

Metal-peptide networks (MPNs), which are assembled from short peptides and metal ions, are considered one of the most fascinating metal-organic coordinated architectures because of their unique and complicated structures. Although MPNs have considerable potential for development into versatile materials, they have not been developed for practical applications because of several underlying limitations, such as designability, stability, and modifiability. In this review, we summarise several important milestones in the development of crystalline MPNs and thoroughly analyse their structural features, such as peptide sequence designs, coordination geometries, cross-linking types, and network topologies. In addition, potential applications such as gas adsorption, guest encapsulation, and chiral recognition are introduced. We believe that this review is a useful survey that can provide insights into the development of new MPNs with more sophisticated structures and novel functions.

Automated summary

Metal-peptide networks are structures assembled from short peptides and metal ions, known for their unique and complicated features. However, limitations such as designability, stability, and modifiability have hindered their practical applications. This review summarizes important milestones in the development of crystalline metal-peptide networks and analyzes their structural features and potential applications, providing insights for the development of new metal-peptide networks with more sophisticated structures and novel functions.