Yuanchen Li, Mingrui Han, Na Wu, Fei Pan, Zhou Wang, Jingpeng Lin, Kaixuan Zhang, Jiurong Liu, and Zhihui Zeng · Cell Reports Physical Science · 2025
Perspective review of conductive MOFs as electromagnetic-wave absorbers, with emphasis on dielectric regulation, conduction and polarization loss mechanisms, selected performance benchmarks, limitations, and research directions.
The review’s argument is preserved as a navigable set of section summaries.
Covers cMOF composites that add magnetic loss, gradient impedance matching, 3D or resin-based architectures, and radar-infrared camouflage functions.
Relevance: Supporting · 5 · Dielectric regulation mechanism of cMOF and cMOF composites · Figure 4
Summarises the perceived advantages of cMOFs and states gaps in nanopore control, low loading, multiple loss mechanisms, and environmental robustness.
Relevance: Core · 6 · Conclusion and outlook
Describes bimetallic and ligand/bond strategies for tuning interlayer spacing, band gap, complex permittivity, conductivity loss, and polarization loss.
Relevance: Core · 4 · Dielectric regulation mechanism of cMOF and cMOF composites · Figure 3
Reviews early intrinsic cMOF absorbers and the move from simple conductivity enhancement to mechanistic analysis of conductive and polarization losses.
Relevance: Core · 2 · Preliminary exploration · Figure 1
Frames EMW absorber requirements, contrasts traditional absorbers and MOF-derived carbons, and motivates intrinsic cMOFs as porous, tunable, conductive absorbers.
Relevance: Supporting · 1 · Introduction
Collects selected EMW absorption metrics for cMOFs, cMOF composites, and comparison absorbers, including filling ratio, reflection loss, and effective absorption bandwidth.
Relevance: Supporting · 7 · Table 1 · Table 1
Classification systems are attributed to this review and are not treated as a global material registry.
The perspective separates early powder-based absorbers from more practical structural composites that address bandwidth, impedance matching, and stealth requirements.
Categories: Powder-filled absorber · cMOF composite · Gradient metamaterial · 3D printed or resin-integrated structure
5 · Dielectric regulation mechanism of cMOF and cMOF composites · Figure 4
The review organises cMOF progress around variables that tune band gap, conductivity, interlayer spacing, permittivity, and loss balance.
Categories: Central metal substitution · Bimetallic ion-ratio control · Ligand and Cu-X bond selection · Composite magnetic-component integration
5 · Conclusion and outlook
Figure 1 presents cMOFs as absorbers whose porous topology, chemical activity, conductivity, and adjustable structure support multiple dielectric-loss pathways.
Categories: Conduction loss · Dipole polarization · Interface polarization · Multiple reflection · Magnetic loss in composites
2 · Preliminary exploration · Figure 1
The review distinguishes carbonized MOF absorbers from intrinsic cMOFs, arguing that cMOFs retain MOF porosity and compositional tunability while enabling conductivity without carbonization.
Categories: Carbonized MOF derivatives · Intrinsic conductive MOFs · cMOF composites
2 · Introduction
Review-defined families retain their representative materials and conduction descriptions.
Conductive copper-cyanoquinone framework using copper ions and DCNQI linker.
Conduction: Electrical conductivity is described as enhanced through pi-d conjugation between metal ions and cyanoquinone, reducing band gap.
Representative materials: Cu-DCNQI
Nodes / linkers: Cu · Dicyanoquinonediimine
2 · Preliminary exploration
Semiconductive Cu-S MOF assembled from 6,6'-dithiodinicotinic acid and pyrazine linkers.
Conduction: Reviewed as a cMOF absorber with broad effective absorption bandwidth.
Representative materials: Cu-S-MOF
Nodes / linkers: Cu · Sulfur-containing dicarboxylate · Pyrazine
2 · Preliminary exploration
Cu-based cMOFs compared through terminal functional groups that create Cu-N, Cu-O, or Cu-S bonding environments.
Conduction: Cu-N is interpreted as producing strong d-pi conjugation, charge delocalization, conductive loss, and favourable dipole polarization.
Representative materials: Cu3(HITP)2
Nodes / linkers: Cu · N-, O-, and S-terminal pi-conjugated ligands
5 · Dielectric regulation mechanism of cMOF and cMOF composites
Composite absorbers integrating a CuHT cMOF with flaky carbonyl iron particles and epoxy/metamaterial structures.
Conduction: Combines dielectric cMOF loss with magnetic loss and gradient impedance matching.
Representative materials: CuHT-FCIP · CuHT-FCIP-EP metamaterial
Nodes / linkers: Cu · Fe-containing FCIP component · HHTP-derived CuHT framework
6 · Dielectric regulation mechanism of cMOF and cMOF composites · Figure 4
Transition-metal hexagonal prism-shaped cMOFs built from 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexahydroxytriphenylene with metals such as Zn, Cu, Co, and Ni.
Conduction: Central metal choice changes permittivity, attenuation coefficient, and the ratio of conductive to polarization losses.
Representative materials: Zn-HHTP · Cu-HHTP · Co-HHTP · Ni-HHTP
Nodes / linkers: Zn · Cu · Co · Ni · HHTP catecholate-type linker
3 · Preliminary exploration · Figure 2
Hexaiminotriphenylene-based cMOFs in which Co, Ni, and Cu metals and their ratios tune conductivity and EMW absorption.
Conduction: The review links HITP alloys to continuous conductivity variation, charge delocalization, conductive loss, and dipole polarization.
Representative materials: Cu1.3Ni1.7(HITP)2 · Cu3(HITP)2 · M3(HITP)2
Nodes / linkers: Co · Ni · Cu · HITP hexaiminotriphenylene linker
5 · Dielectric regulation mechanism of cMOF and cMOF composites · Table 1
Bimetallic HHTP cMOF system in which Zn/Cu ratio tunes interlayer spacing, band gap, and complex permittivity.
Conduction: Higher Zn proportion is reviewed as decreasing band gap and increasing complex permittivity, improving dielectric attenuation.
Representative materials: Zn3Cu1-HHTP · ZnCu-HHTP
Nodes / linkers: Zn · Cu · HHTP catecholate-type linker
4 · Dielectric regulation mechanism of cMOF and cMOF composites · Figure 3
Review-level synthesis principles remain separate from primary-study recipes.
Introduce two metals with different ionic radii and tune their ratio to continuously modulate interlayer spacing, band gap, and electromagnetic parameters.
Claimed effects: The review presents this as a fine-grained dielectric modulation paradigm with improved reflection loss and tunable absorption peak position.
Controlling variables: Zn/Cu ratio · Cu/Ni ratio · Interlayer spacing · Band gap
Representative materials: Zn3Cu1-HHTP · Cu1.3Ni1.7(HITP)2
Caveat: In HITP systems, metal type and ratio may also change morphology, so dielectric and scattering contributions can be coupled.
4 · Dielectric regulation mechanism of cMOF and cMOF composites · Figure 3
Compare analogous Cu cMOFs with different terminal atoms to regulate charge transfer, molecular polarity, and the balance of conduction and polarization losses.
Claimed effects: Cu-N bonding is reviewed as promoting charge delocalization and a strong synergy between conductive and polarization loss.
Controlling variables: Terminal functional group · Cu-N bond · Cu-O bond · Cu-S bond · Molecular polarity index
Representative materials: Cu3(HITP)2
Caveat: This is a single-family interpretation and should be treated as a mechanistic hypothesis to verify in the primary study.
5 · Dielectric regulation mechanism of cMOF and cMOF composites
Combine cMOFs with magnetic components such as flaky carbonyl iron particles to add magnetic loss and improve impedance matching.
Claimed effects: The review links this to ultrabroadband absorption, lower-frequency peak shifting, and oblique-angle robustness.
Controlling variables: FCIP/CuHT ratio · Magnetic component loading · Gradient impedance structure · Matched thickness
Representative materials: CuHT-FCIP · CuHT-FCIP-EP metamaterial
Caveat: Composite performance no longer isolates intrinsic cMOF transport; magnetic and architecture effects dominate part of the response.
5 · Dielectric regulation mechanism of cMOF and cMOF composites · Figure 4
Replace post-carbonization routes with intrinsically conductive frameworks so that MOF porosity, active functional groups, and tunable composition are retained.
Claimed effects: The review argues this enables EMW absorption without additional treatment and permits atom-level dielectric regulation.
Controlling variables: Framework conductivity · Porosity retention · Metal-linker composition
Representative materials: Cu-S-MOF · Cu-HHTP · M3(HITP)2
Caveat: The review also notes that most MOFs are insulating and that practical cMOFs still face low loading, robustness, and bandwidth challenges.
1 · Summary
Hold the HHTP ligand constant while changing metal nodes to tune permittivity, attenuation, and loss partitioning.
Claimed effects: Metal selection alters dielectric response and provides mechanistic insight into conductive versus polarization losses.
Controlling variables: Metal ion identity · Permittivity real part · Permittivity imaginary part · Attenuation coefficient
Representative materials: Zn-HHTP · Cu-HHTP · Co-HHTP · Ni-HHTP
Caveat: Different metals cause discrete rather than continuous tuning, motivating bimetallic strategies.
3 · Preliminary exploration · Figure 2
Compound cMOFs with conductive carbon and photopolymer resin to create structural absorbers with radar-infrared multifunctionality.
Claimed effects: The review says enhanced atomic coordination can activate conductivity-enhancement attenuation and enable radar-infrared camouflage.
Controlling variables: Metal-ligand coordination · Conductive carbon black · Photopolymer resin · Superstructure geometry
Representative materials: Co-HITP/acetylene black
Caveat: Application performance is architecture-dependent and not directly comparable with intrinsic powder-filled cMOF benchmarks.
5 · Dielectric regulation mechanism of cMOF and cMOF composites
These are the review authors’ synthesis, not newly measured results.
Bimetallic ZnCu-HHTP is reviewed as demonstrating an ion-ratio to interlayer-spacing to band-gap/permittivity relationship that can improve dielectric attenuation.
Evidence basis: single_reference
Caveat: Primary-study validation is needed before using the quantitative trend outside this family.
5 · Dielectric regulation mechanism of cMOF and cMOF composites · Figure 3
Carbonizing MOFs can improve conductivity and EMW absorption, but the review argues that it damages native porosity, surface area, functional groups, and process simplicity.
Evidence basis: multi_reference
Caveat: The review does not deny strong carbonized-MOF performance; it uses the tradeoff to motivate intrinsic cMOFs.
2 · Introduction
The authors explicitly question whether cMOFs truly have distinct advantages over other absorbers and carbonized MOFs unless their ordered nanopores plus intrinsic conductivity are exploited.
Evidence basis: review_reasoning
Caveat: This is a review-level strategic assessment rather than a primary comparative result.
5 · Conclusion and outlook
The emergence of cMOFs creates an opportunity to use intrinsic MOF frameworks directly in EMW absorption while studying dielectric regulation at a more microscopic, atomic level.
Evidence basis: review_reasoning
Caveat: This is the review's framing rather than proof that all cMOFs outperform alternatives.
2 · Introduction
The review argues that practical cMOF absorbers may need composite architectures that add magnetic loss, optimise impedance matching, and address device-scale form factors.
Evidence basis: multi_reference
Caveat: Composite results should not be interpreted as intrinsic cMOF-only performance.
5 · Dielectric regulation mechanism of cMOF and cMOF composites · Figure 4
In Cu-DCNQI, the review links enhanced electron conduction and reduced band gap to pi-d conjugation between copper ions and cyanoquinone linkers.
Evidence basis: single_reference
Caveat: Secondary interpretation of one cited primary study.
2 · Preliminary exploration
The review interprets Cu-N bonding in Cu3(HITP)2 as producing strong d-pi conjugation, charge delocalization, higher conductivity loss, and dipole polarization.
Evidence basis: single_reference
Caveat: This is a chemistry-specific mechanistic interpretation from a cited study.
5 · Dielectric regulation mechanism of cMOF and cMOF composites
Early intrinsic cMOF absorbers demonstrated feasibility, but the review says initial examples did not yet show a clear advantage in efficient effective absorption bandwidth.
Evidence basis: multi_reference
Caveat: The statement is based on selected early examples and should not be treated as an exhaustive comparison.
2 · Preliminary exploration
M-HHTP studies are reviewed as separating conductive loss from polarization loss and attributing polarization effects to dipolar functional groups and oriented rod-like structures.
Evidence basis: single_reference
Caveat: Loss partitioning depends on the modelling and measurement assumptions in the cited study.
3 · Preliminary exploration · Figure 2
For M3(HITP)2 systems, the review says metal type and ratio can tune electromagnetic parameters and absorption peak position, while morphology changes may also promote multiple scattering.
Evidence basis: single_reference
Caveat: Morphological and electronic effects are not fully separable in the review summary.
5 · Dielectric regulation mechanism of cMOF and cMOF composites
The review says cost-effective, highly conductive cMOFs are urgently needed, with lower filler loading seen as important for competing with carbonized MOF derivatives.
Evidence basis: review_reasoning
Caveat: The target loading range is an outlook benchmark, not an achieved general standard.
6 · Conclusion and outlook
MOFs are attractive EMW absorber platforms because porous structures, active-site density, tunable composition, and lightweight characteristics can support multiple microwave loss mechanisms and impedance matching.
Evidence basis: multi_reference
Caveat: The claim is broad and application-specific; the review immediately notes that most MOFs lack sufficient conductivity.
1 · Introduction · Figure 1
The review identifies discrete dielectric changes from replacing metals or ligands as a limitation and calls for continuous, fine-grained permittivity tuning in cMOFs.
Evidence basis: multi_reference
Caveat: The statement concerns EMW absorber optimisation, not general cMOF transport measurement.
4 · Dielectric regulation mechanism of cMOF and cMOF composites
Every row remains visibly secondary and links to a primary dossier only where the mapping is verified.
| Material | Property | Reported value | Context and quality | Primary evidence | Review source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SecondaryCo-HITP/acetylene black | effective absorption bandwidth | 6.00 GHz | 40 wt % filling ratio; RLmin -46.7 dB in Table 1 Table · Exact Reported | No verified corpus mapping | 5 · Dielectric regulation mechanism of cMOF and cMOF composites · Table 1 |
| SecondaryCu3(HITP)2 | minimum reflection loss | -63.03 dB | 60 wt % filling ratio; EAB 3.44 GHz in Table 1 Table · Exact Reported | research_0028 | 5 · Dielectric regulation mechanism of cMOF and cMOF composites |
| SecondaryCu3(HHTP)2 | effective absorption bandwidth | 5.2 GHz | 50 wt % filling ratio; matching thickness 2.9 mm in text Table · Exact Reported | No verified corpus mapping | 3 · Preliminary exploration · Figure 2 |
| SecondaryCu3(HHTP)2 | minimum reflection loss | -63.55 dB | 50 wt % filling ratio; matching thickness 2.9 mm in text; EAB 5.2 GHz in Table 1 Table · Exact Reported | No verified corpus mapping | 3 · Preliminary exploration · Figure 2 and Table 1 |
| SecondaryCu1.3Ni1.7(HITP)2 | effective absorption bandwidth | 6.16 GHz | 15 wt % filling ratio; RLmin -71.5 dB in Table 1 Table · Exact Reported | No verified corpus mapping | 5 · Dielectric regulation mechanism of cMOF and cMOF composites · Table 1 |
| SecondaryCu1.3Ni1.7(HITP)2 | minimum reflection loss | -71.5 dB | 15 wt % filling ratio; EAB 6.16 GHz in Table 1 Table · Exact Reported | No verified corpus mapping | 5 · Dielectric regulation mechanism of cMOF and cMOF composites · Table 1 |
| SecondaryCu-S-MOF | effective absorption bandwidth | 6.72 GHz | 100 wt % filling ratio; RLmin -52.8 dB in Table 1 Table · Exact Reported | No verified corpus mapping | 2 · Preliminary exploration |
| SecondaryCu-S-MOF | minimum reflection loss | -52.8 dB | 100 wt % filling ratio; EAB 6.72 GHz in Table 1 Table · Exact Reported | No verified corpus mapping | 7 · Table 1 · Table 1 |
| SecondaryCuHT-FCIP-EP metamaterial | absorption bandwidth | 38 GHz | Metamaterial absorber; Table 1 reports no filling ratio or RLmin Table · Exact Reported | No verified corpus mapping | 7 · Table 1 · Table 1 |
| SecondaryCuHT-FCIP metamaterial | absorption frequency range | 2-40 GHz | Sub-centimetre thickness of 9.3 mm reported in the review text Text · Range | No verified corpus mapping | 5 · Dielectric regulation mechanism of cMOF and cMOF composites · Figure 4 |
| SecondaryZn3Cu1-HHTP | effective absorption bandwidth | 3.7 GHz | 50 wt % filling ratio; RLmin -81.62 dB in Table 1 Table · Exact Reported | research_0239 | 7 · Table 1 · Table 1 |
| SecondaryZn3Cu1-HHTP | minimum reflection loss | -81.62 dB | 50 wt % filling ratio; EAB 3.7 GHz in Table 1 Table · Exact Reported | research_0239 | 5 · Dielectric regulation mechanism of cMOF and cMOF composites · Figure 3 and Table 1 |
Open questions are presented as review-author priorities, not conclusions from the primary database.
The review highlights acid/alkali resistance and high-temperature resistance as needed for cMOF absorbers to move beyond laboratory demonstrations.
Proposed direction: Assess and improve chemical and thermal stability as part of absorber design and benchmarking.
6 · Conclusion and outlook
The review states that discovering cost-effective, highly conductive cMOF systems remains urgent.
Proposed direction: Prioritise new conductive cMOF systems with practical precursor cost and robust conductivity.
6 · Conclusion and outlook
The review identifies further loading reduction as necessary for cMOFs to compete effectively with carbonized MOF derivatives in practical applications.
Proposed direction: Push cMOF filler ratios below current low-loading HITP examples toward 5-10 wt %.
6 · Conclusion and outlook
The review says cMOFs need multiple loss mechanisms, including magnetic components, defect engineering, doping, and microstructural modification.
Proposed direction: Design cMOFs and composites that combine conductive, dipole, interface, magnetic, and scattering losses.
6 · Conclusion and outlook
Existing research has focused mainly on dielectric constant and conductive loss, while the review says the nanoporous structure has been overlooked.
Proposed direction: Develop nanopore control technologies and study potential interactions between nanopores and EMWs.
6 · Conclusion and outlook
The review asks whether cMOFs truly possess advantages over carbonized MOFs and other absorbers unless their ordered nanopores and intrinsic conductivity are exploited together.
Proposed direction: Frame future work around the coupled role of nanopores and electrical conductivity rather than conductivity alone.
5 · Conclusion and outlook
Mappings show which printed review references have a verified counterpart in the frozen primary corpus.
| Reference | Study | Role and context | Corpus mapping |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ref. 422021 | Carbon-Based MOF Derivatives: Emerging Efficient Electromagnetic Wave Absorption Agents | background_contextCited in the introduction to support MOF-derived materials as important EMW absorbing agents. | Unmapped |
| Ref. 472023 | Bimetallic MOF-derived composites with broad electromagnetic wave absorption and strong corrosion resistance | background_context · comparison_benchmarkUsed as an example of carbonized MOF-derived absorber performance that motivates but contrasts with intrinsic cMOFs. | Unmapped |
| Ref. 482020 | Implanting FeCo/C nanocages with tunable electromagnetic parameters in anisotropic wood carbon aerogels for efficient microwave absorption | background_context · comparison_benchmarkUsed as a high-bandwidth carbonized/composite MOF-derived comparison before arguing for intrinsic cMOFs. | Unmapped |
| Ref. 492018 | Electron delocalization and charge mobility as a function of reduction in a metal-organic framework | conductivity_contextCited in the review's framing of cMOFs as conductive frameworks enabling intrinsic absorber concepts. | research_0029 |
| Ref. 502024 | On-liquid-gallium surface synthesis of ultrasmooth thin films of conductive metal-organic frameworks | conductivity_context · thin_film_contextCited as part of the broader emergence of cMOFs before the review narrows to EMW absorption. | Unmapped |
| Ref. 512020 | Efficient and tunable one-dimensional charge transport in layered lanthanide metal-organic frameworks | conductivity_context · transport_mechanismCited to support cMOF conductivity and the claim that inadequate attenuation from low conductivity can be addressed. | research_0047 |
| Ref. 532018 | Ferric metal-organic framework for microwave absorption | early_cmof_absorptionUsed as an early Fe-MOF EMW absorber example with strong reflection loss but limited bandwidth advantage in the review's interpretation. | Unmapped |
| Ref. 542021 | Conductive Fibrous Metal-Cyanoquinone Complexes with Excellent Microwave Absorption and Shielding Effectiveness at Ultrathin Thickness | early_cmof_absorption · structure_property_linkCited for Cu-DCNQI conductivity enhancement through metal-linker conjugation and EMW absorption metrics. | Unmapped |
| Ref. 552023 | A two-dimensional semiconductive Cu-S metal-organic framework for broadband microwave absorption | transport_benchmark · early_cmof_absorptionCited for a Cu-S-MOF bandwidth benchmark and as evidence that cMOFs can deliver broader EMW absorption. | Unmapped |
| Ref. 562023 | Conductive Metal-Organic Frameworks with Tunable Dielectric Properties for Boosting Electromagnetic Wave Absorption | transport_benchmark · mechanism_studyCentral cited study for metal-dependent M-HHTP dielectric properties and conductive versus polarization loss analysis. | Unmapped |
| Ref. 572024 | Metal-organic frameworks with fine-tuned interlayer spacing for microwave absorption | transport_benchmark · structure_property_linkCentral cited study for bimetallic HHTP interlayer-spacing, band-gap, permittivity, and absorption-performance tuning. | research_0239 |
| Ref. 582023 | Atomic Tuning in Electrically Conducting Bimetallic Organic Frameworks for Controllable Electromagnetic Wave Absorption | transport_benchmark · structure_property_linkCited for bimetallic HITP tuning of electromagnetic parameters, morphology, and absorption benchmarks. | Unmapped |
| Ref. 592025 | Multi-Scale Design of Metal-Organic Framework Metamaterials for Broadband Microwave Absorption | applications_context · metamaterial_contextCited in the review's discussion of cMOF dielectric tuning and broader application scope. | Unmapped |
| Ref. 602020 | Continuous Electrical Conductivity Variation in M3(Hexaiminotriphenylene)2 (M = Co, Ni, Cu) MOF Alloys | conductivity_context · structure_property_linkCited as precedent for continuous conductivity modulation by bimetallic/alloy composition in HITP MOFs. | research_0041 |
| Ref. 612025 | Cu-X Bonds Regulated Conduction and Polarization Loss in Conductive Metal-Organic Framework Under Electromagnetic Field10.1002/advs.202508379 | transport_benchmark · mechanism_studyCited for Cu-X bond control of charge transfer, dipole polarization, and EMW absorption in conductive MOFs. | research_0028 |
| Ref. 622024 | 2D/2D coupled MOF/Fe composite metamaterials enable robust ultra-broadband microwave absorption | transport_benchmark · composite_strategy · metamaterial_contextCited for CuHT-FCIP dielectric-magnetic coupling, ultrabroadband absorption, and oblique-angle metamaterial behaviour. | Unmapped |
| Ref. 632025 | Conductance Reinforced Relaxation Attenuation with Strong Metal-N Coordination in Multivariate pi-Conjugated MOFs for Integrated Radar-Infrared Camouflage | transport_benchmark · composite_strategy · applications_contextCited for charge-carrier regulation, conductivity-enhancement attenuation, resin/carbon superstructures, and radar-infrared camouflage. | Unmapped |