Review · secondary evidenceReview

An overview of different strategies to introduce conductivity in metal-organic frameworks and miscellaneous applications thereof

Sanjeev K. Bhardwaj, Neha Bhardwaj, Rajnish Kaur, Jyotsana Mehta, Amit L. Sharma, Ki-Hyun Kim and Akash Deep · Journal of Materials Chemistry A · 2018

This dossier represents secondary evidence: section summaries, claims and benchmarks are paraphrased for this database, not quoted. Check quantitative values against the linked primary study, and cite the review itself (10.1039/c8ta04220a) for its arguments.

10review sections
6material families
15review claims
18secondary benchmarks
36cited studies
8research gaps

Review scope

To review strategies for introducing electrical conductivity and long-range charge transport into otherwise insulating MOFs, with emphasis on linker choice, guest/dopant incorporation, polymer/carbon composites, thin-film platforms and electrochemical or optoelectronic applications.

Coverage
2010–2018
Category
Review Transport Physics
Material scope
electrically conductive metal-organic frameworks · electroactive MOF thin films · MOFs with conductive linkers · guest-doped MOFs · MOF-polymer hybrids · MOF-carbon composites
Transport scope
electronic conduction · charge delocalisation · through-bond transport · through-space transport · guest-mediated hopping · tunnelling through metallic nanoclusters · interfacial charge transfer
Application scope
electrochemical sensors · chemiresistive sensors · photovoltaics and DSSCs · optoelectronic devices · gas capture and sensing
Explicit exclusions
full primary synthesis recipes · exhaustive bibliography extraction · primary validation of conductivity values · optical-only MOF sensing where charge transport is not central
Source
p001 · Abstract
Evidence role
Context, taxonomy and secondary benchmarking

Section map

The review’s argument is preserved as a navigable set of section summaries.

Applications of electroactive MOFs

p007-p012

Surveys electrochemical sensor platforms using carbon paste electrodes, glassy carbon electrodes and conducting substrates, plus photocatalytic, photovoltaic and gas-sensing examples.

Relevance: Supporting · p007 · 3. Applications of electroactive MOFs · Table 2

MOF-carbon composites

p007

Treats carbon nanotubes, graphene, graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide and carbon particles as conductive hybrid components that improve charge transfer and sensor use.

Relevance: Core · p007 · 2.4 MOF-carbon composites · Fig. 5

Conclusions

p015-p016

Concludes that guest doping and conductive media integration are the leading routes, while calling for quantum-level understanding, designer ligands, environmental stability and computational modelling.

Relevance: Core · p016 · 5. Conclusions

Conducting MOFs

p002-p003

Introduces the main problem of missing free carriers and low-energy charge-transfer pathways, then uses Fig. 1 to classify methods for obtaining conductive MOFs.

Relevance: Core · p002 · 2. Conducting MOFs · Fig. 1

Critical assessment of different strategies to introduce conductivity in MOFs

p012-p015

Synthesises the relative strengths, limits and transport mechanisms of linker design, dopant incorporation, polymer loading and carbon composites, using Table 1 as the benchmark comparison.

Relevance: Core · p013 · 4. Critical assessment of different strategies to introduce conductivity in MOFs · Table 1

Synthesis of conducting MOFs by incorporating dopants

p003-p006

Reviews dopant introduction into MOF pores, including redox-active molecules, iodine/polyiodide, ferrocene, metallacarboranes, metallic nanoclusters and cationic molecules.

Relevance: Core · p003 · 2.2 Synthesis of conducting MOFs by incorporating dopants

Introduction

p001-p002

Frames MOFs as porous, tunable materials that are usually insulating, and motivates conductivity engineering for sensors, catalysis, supercapacitors and electronics.

Relevance: Core · p001 · Introduction

Photovoltaics

p011-p012

Highlights band-gap suppression, photoresponsive MOFs, DSSC counter-electrode uses and integration of conductive ultrathin MOF films into devices.

Relevance: Supporting · p011 · 3.2 Photovoltaics

MOFs loaded with conducting polymers

p006-p007

Describes the use of MOF void space to host polymerisable monomers such as pyrrole or EDOT, creating non-covalent conductive pathways while retaining framework crystallinity.

Relevance: Core · p007 · 2.3 MOFs loaded with conducting polymers

Synthesis of conducting MOFs using specific linkers

p003

Covers linker and metal-node designs that create charge-transfer pathways, including DSBDC, HITP and mixed-valence/semiquinoid frameworks.

Relevance: Core · p003 · 2.1 Synthesis of conducting MOFs using specific linkers

Taxonomies

Classification systems are attributed to this review and are not treated as a global material registry.

Electrode Or Device ArchitectureAuthor-proposed

MOF-based conducting sensing platforms

Table 2 organises application examples by the conductive support or device platform rather than by MOF chemistry alone.

Categories: carbon paste electrode modified sensors · glassy carbon electrode modified sensors · MOFs assembled on a conducting substrate · miscellaneous applications

p015 · 3.1 Electrochemical sensors · Table 2

Guest Species IdentityAuthor-proposed

Dopants for conductive MOFs

Dopants are classified by whether they create redox, tunnelling, cation-pi or other charge-transfer pathways in the pore network.

Categories: redox-active dyes · metallic species · cations · metal oxides · metal nanoclusters

p003 · 2.2 Synthesis of conducting MOFs by incorporating dopants · Fig. 1

Synthetic Or Integration RouteAuthor-proposed

Strategies to impart conductivity in MOFs

Fig. 1 organises conductive-MOF design into linker-based, dopant-based, polymer-loading and composite routes.

Categories: specific linkers · dopants · polymers · composite formation

p002 · 2. Conducting MOFs · Fig. 1

Framework Geometry And Processing Form

MOF dimensionality and form

The review frames conductivity and application choices against available MOF dimensionalities and processable forms.

Categories: 1-D frameworks · 2-D frameworks · 3-D frameworks · powders · suspensions · thin films

p001 · Introduction

Charge-Transfer PathwayAuthor-proposed

Through-space versus through-bond linker design

The critical assessment distinguishes pi-stacked electroactive moieties from covalently coupled components with orbital overlap.

Categories: through-space pi-stacking interactions · through-bond symmetry and energy overlap

p013 · 4. Critical assessment

Material families

Review-defined families retain their representative materials and conduction descriptions.

MOF-carbon composites

Composites And Films

Hybrid MOFs with carbon particles, CNTs, graphene, graphene oxide or reduced graphene oxide.

Conduction: The conductive carbon phase improves charge transfer while MOF porosity and surface chemistry contribute selectivity and adsorption.

Representative materials: HKUST-1/40% C · RGO/ZIF-8 · SWCNT/Zn-MOF · MOF-525/GNR

Nodes / linkers: Cu · Zn · Zr · HKUST-1/BTC · ZIF-8/2-methylimidazole · Zn-SWCNT coordination networks · MOF-525

p007 · 2.4 MOF-carbon composites · Fig. 5

MOFs assembled on conducting substrates

Oriented Films, Nanorod Arrays And Ultrathin Films

MOF films grown or assembled directly on ITO, FTO, gold screen-printed electrodes or PANI-coated substrates.

Conduction: Conductive supports and templates mediate electron transfer to MOF pores and enable device integration.

Representative materials: ZnO@ZIF-8 · [Cd(atc)(H2O)2]n · Cu-MOF/TCNQ · Cu3(BTC)2@SiO2/PANI · Cu-CAT-1

Nodes / linkers: Zn · Cd · Cu · ZIF-8 · atc · BTC · catecholate

p010 · 3.1.3 MOFs assembled on a conducting substrate · Fig. 9; Fig. 10

Iodine and polyiodide doped MOFs

Porous Crystals And Thin Films

MOFs whose pores or nanochannels are infiltrated with iodine or polyiodide species.

Conduction: Iodine interacts with pi-electron walls to generate holes and can promote n to sigma-star charge transfer through polyiodide-containing channels.

Representative materials: Zn3(DL-lac)2(pybz)2/I2 · Eu4(BPT)4(DMF)2(H2O)8/I2 · Co3(NDC)3/I2 · Cu[Ni(pdt)2]/I2

Nodes / linkers: Zn · Eu · Co · Cu · Ni · lactate-pybz frameworks · BPT · NDC · pyrazine-2,3-dithiolate · polyiodide

p004 · 2.2.1.2 MOFs doped with iodine · Fig. 2; Fig. 3

Conducting-polymer loaded MOFs

3-D Pores And Thin-Film Platforms

MOFs that host monomers or conductive polymers inside their pore spaces.

Conduction: Non-covalent host-guest interactions channel electron flow; polymer components provide charge density, carrier mobility and electrocatalytic interfaces.

Representative materials: [Cd(NDC)0.5(PCA)]/PPy · PEDOT@Cr-MIL-101 · UiO-66-NH2@PANI · Cu3(BTC)2@SiO2/PANI

Nodes / linkers: Cd · Cr · Zr · Cu · NDC/PCA · MIL-101 · UiO-66-NH2 · BTC

p007 · 2.3 MOFs loaded with conducting polymers · Table 1

Specific-linker conductive MOFs

2-D And 3-D Examples

MOFs in which the linker and metal-node choice directly generates charge-transfer pathways.

Conduction: Conductivity is attributed to charge delocalisation, metal-sulfur chains, spin electrons, mixed-valence ligands and pi-conjugated linker pathways.

Representative materials: Mn2(DSBDC)(DMF)2 · Fe2(DSBDC)(DMF)2 · Ni3(HITP)2 · Cu3(HITP)2 · (NBu4)2-Fe2(dhbq)3

Nodes / linkers: Mn · Fe · Ni · Cu · Sr · Cd · thiolated DOBDC analogues · HITP/HATP triphenylene linkers · semiquinoid linkers · benzenetricarboxylates

p003 · 2.1 Synthesis of conducting MOFs using specific linkers · Table 1

TCNQ-doped Cu-MOFs

Thin Films And Porous MOF Films

Copper MOFs infiltrated with tetracyanoquinodimethane to form charge-transfer complexes.

Conduction: TCNQ fills the HOMO-LUMO gap and bridges metal ions, enabling hopping between localised sites and large conductivity increases.

Representative materials: Cu3(BTC)2/TCNQ · Cu(TPyP)-Cu2(O2CCH3)4/TCNQ · Cu-MOF/TCNQ immunosensor films

Nodes / linkers: Cu · BTC · porphyrin TPyP · TCNQ guest

p004 · 2.2.1.1 MOFs doped with TCNQ

Synthesis strategies

Review-level synthesis principles remain separate from primary-study recipes.

Carbon nanomaterial hybridisation

Hybridise MOFs with carbon particles, CNTs, graphene, GO or RGO to combine charge-transfer capability with MOF surface area and porosity.

Claimed effects: Improves native MOF conductivity and provides useful electrochemical sensor and gas uptake platforms.

Controlling variables: carbon loading · GO versus RGO state · composite mass ratio · surface area retention · solution processability

Representative materials: HKUST-1/40% C · RGO/ZIF-8 · SWCNT/Zn-MOF

Caveat: Composite formation requires balancing conductivity, particle size, surface-to-volume ratio, composite stability and solution processability.

p015 · 4. Critical assessment

Assembly on conducting substrates

Grow or deposit MOF films on ITO, FTO, gold screen-printed or conductive polymer supports to make electroactive device surfaces.

Claimed effects: Enables controlled thin films, electron mediation from the substrate to pores and direct integration into sensors and electronic devices.

Controlling variables: substrate chemistry · growth cycles · film thickness · template functional groups · bioconjugation chemistry

Representative materials: ZnO@ZIF-8 · [Cd(atc)(H2O)2]n · Cu3(BTC)2@SiO2/PANI · Cu-CAT-1

Caveat: Performance depends on reproducible film growth, accessible porosity and stable attachment under sensing or device conditions.

p010 · 3.1.3 MOFs assembled on a conducting substrate · Fig. 9; Fig. 10

Iodine and polyiodide doping

Expose MOF crystals or films to iodine solutions, vapours or polyiodide templates so guest iodine species create oxidative and electronic pathways.

Claimed effects: Can generate holes, reduce charge-transfer resistance and support photoelectron injection or light-harvesting functions.

Controlling variables: iodine source · exposure time · temperature · host nanochannel chemistry · presence of electron donors such as TTF

Representative materials: Zn3(DL-lac)2(pybz)2/I2 · Eu4(BPT)4(DMF)2(H2O)8/I2 · Cu[Ni(pdt)2]/I2 · TTF-COF/I2

Caveat: Conductivity depends on host interactions, temperature and exposure conditions; not all examples preserve the same device relevance.

p014 · 4. Critical assessment

Metallic and cationic guest incorporation

Load metallic nanoclusters or cationic molecules into MOF channels to provide tunnelling or donor-acceptor charge delocalisation.

Claimed effects: Can introduce transport pathways while retaining porosity, but metal nanocluster examples show relatively low conductivity and may need optical excitation.

Controlling variables: guest size · light intensity · temperature · host pore dimensions · guest-ligand donor-acceptor interaction

Representative materials: Rb-CD-MOF/AgNCs · MV2+-BMOF

Caveat: Metallic species route is described as limited by relatively low conductivity and additional light/elevated-temperature requirements.

p014 · 4. Critical assessment

In-pore polymerisation or polymer loading

Introduce conducting monomers into MOF pores and polymerise them, or grow MOFs with conductive polymer templates.

Claimed effects: Generates non-covalent conducting pathways, improved carrier density and electron mobility while preserving MOF crystallinity in selected examples.

Controlling variables: monomer identity · oxidant · material ratio · host pore size · post-synthetic modification conditions

Representative materials: [Cd(NDC)0.5(PCA)]/PPy · PEDOT@Cr-MIL-101 · UiO-66-NH2@PANI

Caveat: The review points to a need to test more conducting polymers and to optimise host-guest ratios for each intended application.

p014 · 4. Critical assessment

Specific linker design

Select conjugated, redox-active or electronegative linkers with metals that support delocalised charge-transfer pathways.

Claimed effects: Can produce intrinsic conductive or semiconducting MOFs without relying on externally conductive additives.

Controlling variables: linker redox activity · metal-node identity · orbital overlap · framework dimensionality

Representative materials: Ni3(HITP)2 · Fe2(DSBDC)(DMF)2 · (NBu4)2-Fe2(dhbq)3

Caveat: The review calls for more designer linkers and more quantitative data on delocalisation, especially for mixed-valence ligand systems.

p013 · 4. Critical assessment · Table 1

TCNQ redox-active guest doping

Infiltrate porous Cu-MOF films with TCNQ to form charge-transfer complexes and bridge metal sites.

Claimed effects: Reported to raise MOF conductivity by multiple orders of magnitude and enable immunosensing platforms.

Controlling variables: dopant concentration · incubation time · MOF pore accessibility · substrate and film form

Representative materials: Cu3(BTC)2/TCNQ · Cu(TPyP)-Cu2(O2CCH3)4/TCNQ · Cu-MOF/TCNQ

Caveat: The authors state that the strategy has not been reported with MOFs made with metal ions other than copper.

p014 · 4. Critical assessment

Review claims

These are the review authors’ synthesis, not newly measured results.

Author InterpretationHigh supportCaveat

Carbon-MOF composites offer efficient charge transfer plus high surface area, but composite design must balance conductivity, particle size, stability and processability.

Evidence basis: review_reasoning

Caveat: The best carbon fraction or reduction state is application-specific.

p015 · 4. Critical assessment

Author InterpretationHigh supportCaveat

The review argues that simulation, prediction and validation models are needed to establish structure-property-composition relationships in hybrid conductive MOFs.

Evidence basis: review_reasoning

Caveat: Presented as a future need rather than a settled methodology.

p016 · 5. Conclusions

Author InterpretationHigh supportCaveat

Moisture, dehydration, water stability and reproducible linker/crystal supply remain practical barriers to scale-up of electroactive MOFs.

Evidence basis: review_reasoning

Caveat: This is the review authors' outlook, not a quantified benchmark.

p015 · 4. Critical assessment

Author InterpretationMedium supportStructure Property Link

Replacing Mn with Fe in the DSBDC MOF is interpreted as increasing conductivity because Fe spin electrons and linker sulfur electronegativity support charge transport.

Evidence basis: single_reference

Caveat: The review's text says six-fold, while the table values imply a much larger order-of-magnitude difference; treat the review as secondary context.

p013 · 4. Critical assessment · Table 1

Author InterpretationMedium supportCaveat

Ferrocene can mediate charge hopping in MOF pores, but the review judges it less effective than TCNQ or iodine because reported conductivities remain low.

Evidence basis: single_reference

Caveat: The authors attribute the limitation partly to the size of ferrocene relative to MOF pores.

p005 · 2.2.1.3 MOFs doped with ferrocene

Author InterpretationMedium supportMaterial Comparison

HITP-type triphenylene linkers are described as an especially strong option among specific linkers for high MOF conductivity.

Evidence basis: single_reference

Caveat: The claim is based on a limited set of examples and does not replace primary comparison across measurement geometries.

p014 · 4. Critical assessment

Author InterpretationHigh supportTransport Mechanism

Iodine doping is presented as an oxidative route that generates holes within MOF frameworks and can assist photoelectron injection into conducting substrates.

Evidence basis: multi_reference

Caveat: Conductivity and device outcomes depend strongly on host framework and doping conditions.

p014 · 4. Critical assessment

Author InterpretationMedium supportStructure Property Link

Deliberate selection of metal ions and ligands can tune MOF band positions, band gaps and whether a framework behaves as metallic, semiconducting or insulating.

Evidence basis: multi_reference

Caveat: The review relies partly on computational studies and presents this as a design rationale rather than a universal rule.

p002 · 2. Conducting MOFs

Author InterpretationMedium supportTransport Mechanism

Metal nanoclusters can support charge transport by tunnelling while helping preserve MOF porosity, but the conductivity levels remain modest.

Evidence basis: single_reference

Caveat: The exemplar requires light intensity and elevated temperature for the highest reported conductivity.

p006 · 2.2.2.1 MOFs doped with metal nanoparticles

Author InterpretationMedium supportTransport Mechanism

Mixed-valence ligands are highlighted as a relatively new route to long-range network semiconductivity through intervalence charge transfer.

Evidence basis: multi_reference

Caveat: The authors explicitly call for more quantitative data on electronic delocalisation in these systems.

p014 · 4. Critical assessment

Consensus SummaryHigh supportStructure Property Link

Conducting polymers inside MOFs can form host-guest pathways that greatly increase conductivity without necessarily destroying crystallinity.

Evidence basis: multi_reference

Caveat: Material ratios and polymerisation conditions need optimisation, and the review calls for broader polymer exploration.

p007 · 2.3 MOFs loaded with conducting polymers

Consensus SummaryHigh supportConsensus

Most pristine MOFs are insulating or weakly conductive because they lack free charge carriers and low-energy charge-transport pathways.

Evidence basis: multi_reference

Caveat: The statement is a broad review-level generalisation; exceptions are discussed through engineered conductive MOFs.

p002 · 2. Conducting MOFs

Author InterpretationMedium supportApplication Relevance

Electroactive MOFs are positioned as competitive electrochemical sensor materials because they combine electrocatalytic activity, tunable pores and intrinsic analyte selectivity.

Evidence basis: multi_reference

Caveat: The review summarises performance rather than comparing primary studies under standardised test conditions.

p016 · 5. Conclusions · Table 2

Consensus SummaryHigh supportStructure Property Link

Specific linkers such as DSBDC, HITP and semiquinoid ligands can create delocalised pathways that raise MOF electronic conductivity.

Evidence basis: multi_reference

Caveat: Representative values vary strongly with material, morphology and measurement method.

p013 · 4. Critical assessment · Table 1

Author InterpretationHigh supportTransport Mechanism

TCNQ is interpreted as a bridging species whose unoccupied orbital narrows the host gap and facilitates electron hopping between localised sites.

Evidence basis: multi_reference

Caveat: The review notes the approach had not yet been generalised beyond copper MOFs.

p014 · 4. Critical assessment

Secondary benchmarks

Every row remains visibly secondary and links to a primary dossier only where the mapping is verified.

MaterialPropertyReported valueContext and qualityPrimary evidenceReview source
Secondary[Cd(atc)(H2O)2]nparathion limit of detection0.1 ng mL^-1MOF assembled on conducting ITO substrate; impedimetric immunosensor
Table · Exact Reported
No verified corpus mappingp015 · 3.1.3 MOFs assembled on a conducting substrate · Table 2
Secondary[Cd(NDC)0.5(PCA)]/PPyconductivity of polymer-loaded MOF1 x 10^-3 S cm^-1polypyrrole polymerised within MOF pores; parent MOF approximately 10^-12 S cm^-1
Table · Exact Reported
No verified corpus mappingp013 · 4. Critical assessment · Table 1
SecondaryCu3(BTC)2@SiO2/PANIatrazine limit of detection0.01 nMPANI-supported MOF immunosensor; dynamic detection range 0.01 nM to 1 uM
Table · Exact Reported
No verified corpus mappingp015 · 3.1.3 MOFs assembled on a conducting substrate · Table 2
SecondaryCu3(BTC)2/TCNQconductivity of doped MOF7 x 10^-2 S cm^-1thin films infiltrated with TCNQ; undoped comparator 10^-8 S cm^-1
Table · Exact Reported
No verified corpus mappingp013 · 4. Critical assessment · Table 1
SecondaryCu3(HITP)2electrical conductivity0.2 S cm^-1pressed pellet; two-point-probe measurements at room temperature
Table · Exact Reported
research_0002p013 · 4. Critical assessment · Table 1
SecondaryCu[Ni(pdt)2]/I2conductivity of doped MOF1 x 10^-4 S cm^-1I2 vapour-doped electroactive microporous MOF; measured at 50 C
Table · Exact Reported
research_0203p013 · 4. Critical assessment · Table 1
SecondaryFe2(DSBDC)(DMF)2electrical conductivity3.9 x 10^-6 S cm^-1compressed pellet; two-probe current-voltage technique
Table · Exact Reported
research_0011p013 · 4. Critical assessment · Table 1
SecondaryHKUST-1/ferroceneconductivity of doped MOF2 x 10^-9 S cm^-1ferrocene vapour exposure at room temperature
Table · Exact Reported
No verified corpus mappingp013 · 4. Critical assessment · Table 1
SecondaryMOF-5 modified carbon paste electrodelead ion limit of detection4.9 x 10^-9 mol L^-1anodic stripping voltammetry; linear range 10^-8 to 10^-6 mol L^-1
Table · Exact Reported
No verified corpus mappingp015 · 3.1.1 MOF modified carbon paste electrodes · Table 2
SecondaryMV2+-BMOFconductivity of doped MOF2.3 x 10^-5 S cm^-1methyl viologen-doped BMOF thin film; four-probe method
Table · Exact Reported
research_0431p013 · 4. Critical assessment · Table 1
Secondary(NBu4)2-Fe2(dhbq)3dc electrical conductivity0.16 S cm^-1dried pellet; room temperature; ohmic behaviour within +/-1 V
Table · Exact Reported
research_0186p013 · 4. Critical assessment · Table 1
SecondaryNi3(HITP)2electrical conductivity2 S cm^-1compressed pellet; two-probe measurements; as summarised in Table 1
Table · Exact Reported
No verified corpus mappingp013 · 4. Critical assessment · Table 1
SecondaryPEDOT@Cr-MIL-101NO2 detection limit60 ppbchemiresistive NO2 sensing; linear range 200-10000 ppb
Table · Exact Reported
No verified corpus mappingp015 · 3.3 Miscellaneous applications · Table 2
SecondaryPEDOT@Cr-MIL-101conductivity of polymer-loaded MOF1.1 x 10^-3 S cm^-1PEDOT polymerised in Cr-MIL-101 matrix under optimised material ratio
Table · Exact Reported
No verified corpus mappingp013 · 4. Critical assessment · Table 1
SecondaryRGO/ZIF-8electrical conductivity0.64 S cm^-1RGO/ZIF-8 composite; Table 1 value equivalent to 64 S m^-1 in text
Table · Exact Reported
No verified corpus mappingp013 · 4. Critical assessment · Table 1
SecondarySWCNT/Zn-MOFmethyl parathion limit of detection2.3 ng mL^-1glassy carbon electrode modified with SWCNT-Zn-MOF hybrid
Table · Exact Reported
No verified corpus mappingp015 · 3.1.2 MOF modified glassy carbon electrodes · Table 2
SecondaryTTF-COF/I2conductivity of doped framework2.8 x 10^-3 S cm^-1I2 vapour exposure in closed chamber for 24 h; undoped comparator 1 x 10^-6 S cm^-1
Table · Exact Reported
No verified corpus mappingp013 · 4. Critical assessment · Table 1
SecondaryZn3(DL-lac)2(pybz)2/I2conductivity of doped MOF3.42 x 10^-3 S cm^-1I2-doped crystals; in-plane measurement
Table · Exact Reported
No verified corpus mappingp013 · 4. Critical assessment · Table 1

Research gaps

Open questions are presented as review-author priorities, not conclusions from the primary database.

conducting polymer diversity

Low

The review indicates that more conducting polymers should be studied as MOF dopants or hybrid components.

Proposed direction: Screen additional polymer/MOF combinations and relate non-covalent host-guest coupling to charge density and mobility.

p014 · 4. Critical assessment

humidity and dehydration stability

High

The authors identify a gap in correlating conductivity with dehydration rate and anhydrous conditions.

Proposed direction: Measure conductivity under controlled humid-to-anhydrous transitions and connect dehydration kinetics to transport stability.

p015 · 4. Critical assessment

designer linker discovery

Medium

The authors call for more specific organic linkers that can generate intrinsic electron conductivity.

Proposed direction: Explore proton-coupled redox, dithiooxamido, pyrazinedithiolate, halogen, nitrogen heterocycle and catechol-derived linkers.

p014 · 4. Critical assessment

metallic guest optimisation

Medium

Metal nanocluster doping gives relatively low conductivity and can require light/elevated-temperature activation.

Proposed direction: Explore other nanoparticles and host frameworks to improve tunnelling-mediated transport without sacrificing porosity.

p014 · 4. Critical assessment

mixed-valence electronic delocalisation

Medium

The review states that mixed-valence ligand conductive MOFs need more quantitative data on electronic delocalisation.

Proposed direction: Generate quantitative measurements and models for intervalence charge transfer in mixed-valence MOFs.

p014 · 4. Critical assessment

scalable reproducibility

High

The review notes practical needs for cost-effective linker supply, uniform MOF crystal size, accessible porosity and water stability.

Proposed direction: Develop reproducible, scalable syntheses with controlled crystal size, pore accessibility and regeneration stability.

p015 · 4. Critical assessment

predictive modelling

Medium

A comprehensive relationship between structure, property and composition of hybrid MOFs remains to be established.

Proposed direction: Use simulation, prediction and validation models to guide electronic communication between organic and metal building blocks.

p016 · 5. Conclusions

redox dopant generality

Medium

TCNQ doping is presented as effective but not yet reported beyond copper-based MOFs in this review.

Proposed direction: Test TCNQ and related acceptors with non-Cu metal nodes and distinct framework topologies.

p014 · 4. Critical assessment

Cited-study map

Mappings show which printed review references have a verified counterpart in the frozen primary corpus.

Show 36 cited-study records
ReferenceStudyRole and contextCorpus mapping
Ref. 132016Title unavailablebackground_review · conductivity_contextCited for the general statement that MOFs usually lack carriers and low-energy transport pathways.Unmapped
Ref. 142014Title unavailableelectronic_structure · conductivity_contextCited for DFT-based band-position analysis and conductivity limits in important MOFs.Unmapped
Ref. 152011Title unavailableconductivity_contextCited for weak electron transfer between non-redox metal centres and organic linkers.Unmapped
Ref. 182015Title unavailabletransport_benchmark · specific_linkerUsed for the Cu3(HITP)2 conductivity benchmark and ammonia sensing example.research_0002
Ref. 262012Title unavailableelectronic_structure · band_structureCited for computational exploration of band structures and metal/ligand control of conductivity.Unmapped
Ref. 272015Title unavailableelectronic_structure · band_structureUsed for DFT prediction of electroactivity in MIL-140A through metal substitution and fluorination.Unmapped
Ref. 282015Title unavailabletransport_benchmark · specific_linkerUsed for MOF-74 analogue with metal-sulfur chains and charge mobility evidence.research_0063
Ref. 292013Title unavailabletransport_benchmark · specific_linkerUsed for Fe analogue of DSBDC MOF with enhanced pellet conductivity.research_0011
Ref. 302014Title unavailabletransport_benchmark · specific_linkerUsed for Ni3(HITP)2 conductivity in pellet and film forms and temperature dependence.Unmapped
Ref. 312015Title unavailabletransport_benchmark · mixed_valenceUsed for Sr-based 3-D MOF with temperature-dependent conductive behaviour.Unmapped
Ref. 322015Title unavailabletransport_benchmark · mixed_valenceUsed for high-conductivity 3-D MOF with semiquinoid mixed-valence linker.research_0186
Ref. 332017Title unavailabletransport_benchmark · humidity_sensingUsed for a Cd redox-active MOF with conductivity and humidity-sensing relevance.Unmapped
Ref. 352014Title unavailabletransport_benchmark · iodine_dopingUsed for iodine-vapour doping of a TTF-based conductive framework and charge-transfer interpretation.Unmapped
Ref. 362013Title unavailabletransport_benchmark · tcnq_dopingUsed for the pioneering TCNQ infiltration example producing a large conductivity increase in Cu3(BTC)2 films.Unmapped
Ref. 372016Title unavailabletransport_benchmark · tcnq_dopingUsed for TCNQ-doped 2-D Cu-MOF thin films with hopping transport interpretation.Unmapped
Ref. 382017Title unavailablesensor_benchmark · tcnq_dopingUsed for TCNQ-doped Cu-MOF films on gold screen-printed electrode and PSA immunosensing.research_0544
Ref. 392015Title unavailabletransport_benchmark · iodine_dopingUsed for iodine-doped Co-MOF thin films and light-harvesting interfacial charge-transfer interpretation.research_0067
Ref. 402010Title unavailabletransport_benchmark · iodine_dopingUsed for iodine-vapour doping of microporous Cu[Ni(pdt)2] with retained porosity and conductivity enhancement.research_0203
Ref. 432014Title unavailabletransport_benchmark · iodine_dopingUsed for iodine-infiltrated EuL conductivity and temperature dependence.research_0275
Ref. 442010Title unavailabletransport_benchmark · iodine_dopingUsed for iodine-doped Zn-MOF crystals with in-plane and cross-plane conductivity values.Unmapped
Ref. 462012Title unavailabletransport_benchmark · ferrocene_dopingUsed for ferrocene-loaded HKUST-1 SURMOF and the review's limitation argument for ferrocene.Unmapped
Ref. 472018Title unavailabletransport_benchmark · metallacarborane_dopingUsed for NiCB-loaded NU-1000 and EIS-based conductivity measurement.research_0106
Ref. 482015Title unavailabletransport_benchmark · metal_nanoclusterUsed for light-assisted conductivity in Ag nanocluster-loaded cyclodextrin MOF.research_0037
Ref. 502016Title unavailabletransport_benchmark · cationic_guestUsed for methyl viologen-doped BMOF and donor-acceptor charge delocalisation.research_0431
Ref. 512016Title unavailabletransport_benchmark · conducting_polymerUsed for polypyrrole-in-MOF conductivity and Hall-effect carrier discussion.Unmapped
Ref. 522016Title unavailabletransport_benchmark · conducting_polymer · sensor_benchmarkUsed for PEDOT@Cr-MIL-101 conductivity and NO2 sensing application benchmark.Unmapped
Ref. 532014Title unavailabletransport_benchmark · carbon_compositeUsed for HKUST-1 carbon composite conductivity and MOF-carbon composite design.Unmapped
Ref. 552016Title unavailabletransport_benchmark · carbon_compositeUsed for RGO/ZIF-8 conductivity and CO2 sorption comparison.Unmapped
Ref. 582013Title unavailablesensor_benchmark · carbon_paste_electrodeUsed for MOF-5 modified carbon paste electrode lead-ion detection benchmark.Unmapped
Ref. 662012Title unavailablesensor_benchmark · carbon_compositeUsed for SWCNT-Zn-MOF hybrid glassy carbon electrode and methyl parathion detection.Unmapped
Ref. 732017Title unavailablesensor_benchmark · conducting_polymerUsed for aniline polymerisation in UiO-66-NH2 and cadmium sensing.Unmapped
Ref. 772015Title unavailablesensor_benchmark · conducting_substrateUsed for Cd nano-MOF films on ITO and parathion immunosensing.Unmapped
Ref. 782013Title unavailablesensor_benchmark · conducting_substrateUsed for self-template ZnO@ZIF-8 nanorod arrays and size-selective H2O2 sensing.Unmapped
Ref. 832017Title unavailablephotoresponsive_mof · electronic_structureUsed for photoresistive/photoresponsive Co-MOF with broad absorption and semiconductor behaviour.research_0772
Ref. 852018Title unavailablethin_film_device · conductive_mofUsed for integrating ultrathin electrically conductive porous metal catecholate MOF films into devices.Unmapped
Ref. 872015Title unavailablesensor_benchmark · conducting_substrateUsed for PANI-supported Cu3(BTC)2@SiO2 immunosensor for atrazine detection.Unmapped