Collaborative interactions to enhance gas binding energy in porous metal-organic frameworks

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are potentially useful materials for hydrogen and methane storage. However, the weak interactions between the MOF host and gas guest molecules have limited their storage capacities at elevated temperatures. In this issue, Alkordi et al. [IUCrJ (2017), 4, 131-135] illustrate an example of a porous MOF with a suitable pore size and unique pore surface for enhanced interaction with hydrogen molecules, providing the promise of further increasing the gas binding affinity through collaborative interactions.