A Water Stable Magnesium MOF That Conducts Protons over 10(-2) S cm(-1)

J Am Chem Soc. 2015 Jun 24;137(24):7640-3. doi: 10.1021/jacs.5b04399. Epub 2015 Jun 12.

Abstract

From the outset of the study of MOFs as proton conductors, both conductivity and hydrolytic robustness of the materials have needed to be improved. Here, we report a layered magnesium carboxyphosphonate framework, PCMOF10, that shows an extremely high proton conductivity value of 3.55 × 10(-2) S·cm(-1) at 70 °C and 95% RH. Moreover, PCMOF10 is water stable owing to strong Mg phosphonate bonding. The 2,5-dicarboxy-1,4-benzenediphosphonic acid (H6L) linker anchors a robust backbone and has hydrogen phosphonate groups that interact with the lattice water to form an efficient proton transfer pathway.