Insights into the Controlled Formation of Zr-Based Metal-Organic Gels: Linking Macroscopic Properties with Molecular Information from Solution State NMR.

ABSTRACT: Understanding and controlling the formation mechanisms of metal-organic gels is crucial for their rational design with well-defined properties for diverse applications. However, rapid methodologies enabling atomic-resolution structural characterization of gel formation are still largely lacking. Here, we report for the first time the molecular-level characterization of the in-situ formation of a Zr-based metal-organic gel by monitoring solvent structuration during gelation using solvent-observed nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. UiO-66-type gels were optimized under mild conditions, i.e., 40 °C and in the absence of acidic modulators, providing a biocompatible environment suitable for the in-situ encapsulation of sensitive biomolecules during gelation. The combined analysis of

SUBMITTER: Munoz-Garcia JC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12930015 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature