Zinc-Adeninate Metal-Organic Framework for Aqueous Encapsulation and Sensitization of Near-infrared and Visible Emitting Lanthanide Cations

Luminescent metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), Ln(3+)@bio-MOF-1, were synthesized via post-synthetic cation exchange of bio-MOF-1 with Tb3+, Sm3+, Eu3+, or Yb3+, and their photophysical properties were studied. We demonstrate that bio-MOF-1 encapsulates and sensitizes visible and near-infrared emitting lanthanide cations in aqueous solution.