Adv. Mater. http://doi.org/f2dmkc (2013)

Credit: © 2013 WILEY

Positioning or incorporating multifunctional metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) into miniaturized devices, such as in microfluidic or lab-on-a-chip devices, could lead to new technological applications involving MOFs. Now, Cara M. Doherty, Paolo Falcaro and colleagues demonstrate a versatile approach for fabricating MOF films, which could potentially be incorporated into devices using a generic patterning methodology applicable to all types of MOF. They use a facile protocol to pattern MOF films by combining ultraviolet lithography, hot pressing and pre-formed submicrometre-sized MOF crystals. The imprinting and lithographic processes are independent of each other and the resolution of the resulting patterned films depends on the size of the MOF crystals. The combination of these techniques can be used to achieve structural control of the resulting MOF films and does not affect their chemical functionality. This patterning protocol is in principle suitable for miniaturized catalytic, sensing, luminescent and biomedical devices, and is also scalable.