Scientists have applied chemical techniques used in traditional glass manufacturing to improve a futuristic material known as metal-organic framework (MOF) glass. These materials are made from metal atoms bonded with organic molecules and are prized for their ability to trap gases such as carbon dioxide and hydrogen, and even water.
An international research team, including scientists from Dortmund University of Technology and the University of Birmingham, reported the following findings: natural chemistry Their research shows that MOF glasses can be tailored and designed using methods similar to those used for traditional glass for many years.
Researchers have found that introducing small compounds containing sodium or lithium changes both the structure and behavior of the material. Additives lower the temperature at which the glass softens, making it easier to flow when heated, potentially simplifying manufacturing.
This discovery creates a new framework for designing MOF glasses customized for advanced technologies. Potential applications include gas separation, chemical storage, advanced coatings, and clean energy systems.
Dr Dominik Kubicki from the University of Birmingham said: “Glass has been part of human civilization for thousands of years. From ancient Mesopotamia to modern fiber optic cables, small amounts of chemical modifiers make glass easier to process and change its functional properties.”
“However, MOF glass only softens at high temperatures above 300°C, near its degradation temperature, making it difficult to manufacture and limiting its wide range of applications. This discovery unlocks new possibilities for future high-performance materials.”
Sodium changes the structure of MOF glass
One of the most well-known MOF glasses is ZIF-62. It is a porous material that can be melted and cooled into glass while retaining some of its internal pores. These pores make them useful in applications such as gas separation, membranes, and catalysts.
Professor Sebastian Henke from the Dortmund University of Technology explained: “Our approach is inspired by how traditional silicate glasses have been modified: by disrupting their network structure to tune their melting behavior and mechanical properties.”
“Our research shows that the same principles can be applied to metal-organic hybrid glasses. This advance brings MOF glasses one step closer to real-world manufacturing and applications such as gas separation, storage, and catalysis.”
To understand exactly how the sodium additive changed the material, researchers used advanced analytical techniques. Scientists at the University of Birmingham are led by Drs. Dominik Kubicki and Benjamin Gallant conducted atomic-level studies of modified glass structures and performed high-temperature solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy experiments at the High Field Solid State NMR Facility in the UK.
Their work revealed how sodium ions are integrated into the glass network, weakening some of the bonds inside the structure.
AI modeling reveals changes at the atomic level
Another team in Birmingham, led by Professor Andrew Morris and Dr Mario Onkico, used AI-driven computational modeling to help interpret complex NMR data. Simulations using machine learning supported the experimental results by showing how sodium interacts with glass at the atomic level.
The combination of experimental and computational results showed that sodium does not simply occupy empty space within the material. Instead, some sodium atoms replace zinc atoms, slightly loosening the glass’s structure and changing its properties.
Now that scientists have a better understanding of how to modify these materials, researchers say additional research is needed to improve stability, better predict behavior, and evaluate performance in real-world technology.
The study involved researchers from Dortmund University of Technology, University of Birmingham, Ruhr University Bochum, SRM University AP, Technical University of Munich, and the University of Cambridge.
