Deposition of metal–organic frameworks within a porous protein crystal superstructure†

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) exhibit promising catalytic properties for applications in environmental cleansing, drug delivery, and chemical warfare agent detoxification. However, their broad adoption is hindered by poor structural stability in biologically relevant (aqueous) conditions. Protein crystals, by contrast, offer exceptional environmental resilience, particularly in aqueous and intracellular environments. In this study, we developed a hybrid material combining two example MOFs (UiO-67 and CuBTC) with a porous protein crystal with an exceptionally large pore diameter (13 nm). These hybrid materials were characterized via single-crystal X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy confirmed the successful embedding of MOFs within the protein crystal matrix. With the foundation of these hybrid materials made, expansion of this platform of materials will enable options for tackling challenging problems.