The application of microfluidic technologies in synthesis of metal-organic frameworks and their composites

Since its inception in the 1990s, microfluidic technology has emerged as a versatile platform for nanomaterial synthesis, demonstrating particular efficacy in the controlled continuous fabrication of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) over the past decade. As a novel class of highly porous crystalline materials constructed through the coordination of metal clusters with organic linkers, MOFs have garnered significant attention across diverse disciplines owing to their tunable architectures and exceptional physicochemical properties. Over time, various synthetic methodologies have been established to engineer MOFs with tailored compositions and crystalline configurations. This review systematically examines recent progress in microfluidic-assisted synthesis of MOFs and their hybrid composites. Following a concise overview of microfluidic systems for nanomaterial fabrication, we critically analyze state-of-the-art strategies for MOF synthesis via microfluidic platforms, emphasizing their unparalleled capabilities in precise regulation of reaction kinetics, enhanced crystallographic uniformity, and scalable high-throughput production. Besides, recent developments of other advanced techniques that integrated into microfluidics for synthesis of MOFs are also examined. A focused analysis is presented on the synergistic interplay between microfluidic engineering and MOF crystallization mechanisms, elucidating how this integration enables fundamental insights into nucleation-growth dynamics while expanding functional applications. The convergence of microfluidic technologies with MOF synthesis is poised to accelerate both mechanistic investigations of framework assembly and the rational design of multifunctional MOF-based systems, thereby paving the way for groundbreaking developments in energy, catalysis, and biomedical engineering.