New concept for the design of metal-organic framework (MOF) catalysts

In a long running collaboration with Prof. Vlasta Bonačić-Koutecký (University of Split), Richard O’Hair has published a new study which made the cover of ChemCatChem.

Inspired by Prof. Richard Robson’s vision for developing catalytic centers at rods in coordination polymers (subsequently rebranded as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs)), the study reports on a new concept for the design of MOF catalysts. Thus experiments and theory highlight that gas-phase studies of model systems can be used for the design of MOF based catalysts for the selective decomposition of formic acid into hydrogen and carbon dioxide, a reaction of considerable interest for hydrogen storage applications.