Ordered Large-Pore MesoMOFs Based on Synergistic Effects of TriBlock Polymer and Hofmeister Ion.

Ordered mesoporous metal-organic frameworks (mesoMOFs) were constructed with a uniform pore size up to about 10 nm and thick microporous walls, opening up the possibility for the mass diffusion of large-size molecules through crystalline MOFs. The synergistic effects based on triblock copolymer templates and the Hofmeister salting-in anions promote the nucleation of stable MOFs in aqueous phase and the in situ crystallization of MOFs around templates, rendering the generation of a microcrystal with periodically arranged large mesopores. The improved mass transfer benefiting from large-pore channels, together with robust microporous crystalline structure, endows them as an ideal nanoreactor for the highly efficient digestion of various biogenic proteins. This strategy could set a guideline for the rational design of new ordered large-pore mesoMOFs with a variety of compositions and functionalities and pave a way for their potential applications with biomacromolecules.