Fluoride detection with a redox-active naphthalene diimide metal-organic framework

Fluoride is commonly added to drinking water supplies for dental health; however, exposure to elevated fluoride levels can cause significant health problems. Therefore, it is important to develop simple and robust methods for monitoring fluoride in solution. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been targeted as ideal materials for next-generation sensing technologies, due to their combination of high surface area and chemical tunability. Here we report that a mesoporous MOF with redox-active naphthalene diimide-based ligands exhibits a selective and reversible color-change response to fluoride anion. The incorporation of fluoride sensing organic molecules into a MOF allows for the development of solid-state sensor devices that offer advantages relative to solution-phase methods. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.