Metal Organic Frame Works
A new innovation called metal organic frame works (MOF) may soon effect agriculture. MOF’s are very small organic (carbon) molecules with a metal bridge. They are quite small but have a tremendous amount of pore space. For example, a few grams (454 grams per pound) can have the surface area of an entire football field. The MOF’s have layers of single metal atoms that attach to the carbon to form porous sheets that fold upon themselves in a ball. This increased porosity can be used for a number of technological uses, some in agriculture, others in electronics, and even medicine.
For example, about 1.8 billion people are in need of water throughout the world. Dr. Omar Yaghi researched and made a MOF-5 compound that contains zinc. Zinc connects many folds of carbon together in a small ball with high porosity. Dr Yaghi got the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for this discovery and technically invention. These synthetic crystal substances do not exist in nature and need to be manufactured.
What does MOF-5 (Zinc) do? Dr. Yaghi formed a sheet of MOF-5 compounds into a box and placed it in the desert. He added an intake fan to move desert air across the MOF films. The MOF-5 reacts with the hot desert air that contains 10% to 30% humidity. Generally, this moisture is not available. In the MOF-5 box, the humidity or air water vapor reacts with the MOF-5 box. First it forms a mist, a fog that thickens, droplets form, and then a puddle of water begins to collect in the bottom of the box. Dr. Yaghi won a Nobel Prize in Chemistry (2025) for this invention which can help supply clean water in hot desert areas to both humans, animals, and depending upon scale, possibly plants.
Considering that fresh water is one of most limiting nutrients for any organism’s survival, this is a great achievement. Fresh water makes up less than 3% of total water supplies on earth. In Cape Town, South Africa; the inhabitants were so low on water last year that they were just one day away from Day Zero, the day water runs out. What about for desalinization (taking salt out of salt water)? MOF-303 and MOF-808 have superior permeability and can remove 100% of the salt ions in salt water to obtain fresh water when used with reverse osmosis or solar driven distillation systems using salt water.
There are many metal ions that can be used to form MOF’s for many different uses. However, some are more toxic than others. In descending order, from least toxic to more toxic; these metals include aluminum, zinc, iron, cobalt, chromium, manganese, and copper. What else can MOF’s do?
Some MOF’s can store hydrogen. Hydrogen (H) is a valuable fuel (used to propel space vehicles) that can even be made from water (H2O). Imagine all the fuel that can be made from ocean water? It’s a renewable source of fuel and it’s a non-pollutant. MOF’s are being developed (MOF NU-2100) to store hydrogen due to their vast interior storage areas. Safer and lighter than compressed H, it is a solid-state form of H. MOF (HKUST-1, MOF-177, Nu-111) are even being used to take up and store methane and natural gas for fuel. All these MOF’s offer cheaper and safer storage options than conventional methods.
MOF’s can also be used in wastewater and waste management. Depending upon the material used and the type of waste water, MOF’s can be used to create clean water. Grey water (bath water, dishwashers, laundry) water can easily be converted back to fresh water using MOF technology. Even black water (sewage) can use MOF’s but the process is more difficult due to higher percentage of various solids.
Another way to use MOF’s is for storing carbon dioxide gas and for carbon capture. These carbon MOF-DC’s are energy efficient ways to capture carbon dioxide from gas flues and emissions. They can also be used in batteries and as catalyst. Carbon MOF’s may help with climate change and carbon sequestration. I prefer the term carbon recycling rather than longterm carbon sequestration (long-term carbon tie up).
There will be many uses for MOF’s in the future. Current research is even using non-toxic MOF’s to deliver medicine to treat cancer to specific tissues in the body. A targeted approach, it shows promise as a way to treat some diseases and cancers at a very local level without harming the nearby tissue. Currently, Europe is the leader in the MOF technology, but the USA is starting to take notice. The MOF market is projected to be $3 billion by 2034.
