Plasmonic Nanoparticle-Metal–Organic Framework Hybrid Nanostructures for Biomedical Applications: From Design to Function

Abstract

Plasmonic nanoparticle-metal–organic framework (plasmonic NP-MOF) hybrid nanostructures have emerged as distinctive platforms that synergistically combine the physical, chemical, and biological properties and functions of plasmonic nanoparticles and MOFs, enabling biomedical capabilities inaccessible to either component alone. This Perspective focuses on a central design-to-function relationship: the structural paradigm between the plasmonic nanoparticle and the MOF governs how the properties of the two components complement one another and interact synergistically. We consider four principal configurations: plasmonic NPs embedded within MOF pores, plasmonic NPs decorate the MOF exterior, and a plasmonic NP serves as the core of a plasmonic@MOF core–shell structure or forms the shell of a MOF@plasmonic NP core–shell structure. Each configuration offers distinct functional advantages suited to specific biomedical applications. Here, we first review the synthetic strategies and formation mechanisms underlying these four hybrid nanostructures. We then examine how these structure-dependent properties manifest across three major biomedical application areas: biosensing, drug delivery, and therapeutic applications. Finally, we identify the synthetic limitations constraining structural precision, reproducibility, and material versatility, as well as translational barriers that must be addressed to advance plasmonic nanoparticle–MOF hybrids toward robust and clinically relevant biomedical probes and platforms.