The Road Ahead for Metal–Organic Frameworks: Current Landscape, Challenges and Future Prospects

Abstract

This perspective highlights the transformative potential of Metal–Organic Frameworks (MOFs) in environmental and healthcare sectors. It discusses work that has advanced beyond technology readiness levels of >4 including applications in capture, storage, and conversion of gases to value added products. This work showcases efforts in the most salient applications of MOFs which have been performed at a great cadence, enabled by the federal government, large companies, and startups to commercialize these technologies despite facing significant challenges. This article also forecasts the role of nanoscale MOFs in healthcare, including strides toward personalized medicine, advocating for their use in custom-tailored drug delivery systems. Finally we underscore the potential acceleration in MOF research and development through the integration of machine learning and AI, positioning MOFs as versatile tools poised to address global sustainability and health challenges.