Tailorable Photonic Blocks within Well-Defined Framework for Architecting MOFs Scintillators

Scintillators have attracted widespread attention due to their remarkable ability to convert high-energy X-ray photons into ultraviolet/visible light. However, inherent limitations such as compositional rigidity and unpredictable reaction dynamics hinder the precise structural engineering and optimization of luminescent performance. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) provide a promising platform to address these challenges due to their highly tunable structure and customizable modularity. Herein, a modular engineering strategy is proposed and develop a programmable assembly platform based on a series of Ln-MOFs with identical topology structures. Through rational energy level engineering, the obtained Ln-MOFs scintillators exhibit intense X-ray excited luminescence, high relative light yield, perfect linear response to X-ray dose rate, and excellent stability. The fabricated MOF-based scintillating membranes demonstrate promising potential in flexible X-ray imaging with high spatial resolution. Some fundamental design principles are elucidated through investigating systematic correlation of scintillating performance with energy levels, luminescent efficiency, and self-absorption effects. This modular engineering strategy yields a structural model for developing advanced inorganic-organic hybrid scintillators with tailored optoelectronic properties.