MOF-74: A leading contender for direct air capture, navigating the path from promise to practicality

The urgent need for negative emissions technologies has positioned Direct Air Capture (DAC) as a critical climate solution, yet the ultra-dilute nature of atmospheric CO₂ demands adsorbents with exceptional affinity and selectivity. Among these, the metal-organic framework MOF-74 has emerged as a leading contender, renowned for its record-high CO₂ uptake at low pressures, driven by a high density of open metal sites (OMS). This review critically assesses the journey of MOF-74 from its promising intrinsic properties toward practical DAC application. We elucidate the central paradox of the material: the very OMS that grant its superior CO₂ capacity also render it highly susceptible to hydrolytic degradation in ambient humidity, creating a significant practicality gap. The analysis systematically explores advanced material engineering strategies-including metal node selection, chemical functionalization of linkers, and composite formation—to navigate the critical trade-off between capacity and stability. Furthermore, we highlight the pivotal role of computational modeling and machine learning in accelerating the design of next-generation, water-resistant variants. While pilot-scale validations demonstrate MOF-74’s potential for efficient, low-energy DAC cycles, economic viability and scalable synthesis remain hurdles. We conclude that the path forward hinges on a multidisciplinary research agenda focused on developing robust, multi-metallic frameworks and advanced composite systems, underpinned by holistic sustainability assessments to translate the immense promise of MOF-74 into a practical DAC technology.