Multiscale Design of Flexible Metal-Organic Frameworks

Flexible materials can adapt to external stimuli with predictable and controllable responses. The emergence of dynamic behavior in metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) is promising for the development of 'smart' materials for applications that leverage their porosities and tunable chemical compositions, including the storage, separation, and sensing of small molecules. The translation of molecular structural transformations to macroscopic responses requires the multiscale design of flexible MOF systems. This review summarizes the progress in this area focusing on the past 3-5 years, starting from the modular assembly of building blocks and continuing to the management of dynamics in device architectures.