Reticular Chemistry is a branch of chemistry, which studies crystalline structures, including MOFs and COFs. The crystals are synthesized with molecular building units, such as inorganic nodes and organic struts. These materials are typically porous and have an extremely high surface area, which can be decorated with various chemical functional groups to induce selective interactions with incoming molecules. The structural and compositional variations of the materials are theoretically unlimited; however, many of them are still experimentally unachievable. We target inventing new crystalline materials by overcoming the existing synthetic challenges and use them to solve problems in the energy and biology fields.

Superlattices are composed of nanoparticles interconnected through various polymers. The shape, size, and composition of the nanoparticles can be varied in designable manners. In addition, the polymers attached to the nanoparticles induce selective interparticle interactions and control the resulting crystals' lattice parameters and symmetries. Due to their porosities, chemical reactivity, and structural tunability, the crystals have the potential to be widely used as key materials for energy-related devices, such as solar cells, batteries, and gas storage systems. However, the remaining synthetic challenges, such as limited nanoparticle-polymer combinations, low stability, and lack of precise symmetry control, prevent in-depth studies on their structure-related intrinsic properties. Our group will address the synthetic challenges, invent new superlattices, and discover novel physical properties of the crystals.

Current hydrogen storage systems for light-duty vehicles require high pressure (> 700 bars) or cryogenic temperature (-252 °C) to store hydrogen in a high density. These methods are not sustainable in the long term since the methods require significant energy and cause safety issues. Our group will develop molecular and nanocrystals that bind and release hydrogen at or near room temperature below 100 bars. Hydrogen storage systems based on these materials can operate more efficiently and safely, ultimately replacing the current hydrogen storage systems. In this project, students will learn how to design, synthesize, and characterize crystalline materials with strong hydrogen binding properties and study their storage capacity and kinetics.