Fast and selective fluoride ion conduction in sub-1-nanometer metal-organic framework channels

Abstract Biological fluoride ion channels are sub-1-nanometer protein pores with ultrahigh F − conductivity and selectivity over other halogen ions. Developing synthetic F − channels with biological-level selectivity is highly desirable for ion separations such as water defluoridation, but it remains a great challenge. Here we report synthetic F − channels fabricated from zirconium-based metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), UiO-66-X (X = H, NH 2 , and N + (CH 3 ) 3 ). These MOFs are comprised of nanometer-sized cavities connected by sub-1-nanometer-sized windows and have specific F − binding sites along the channels, sharing some features of biological F − channels. UiO-66-X channels consistently show ultrahigh F − conductivity up to ~10 S m −1 , and ultrahigh F − /Cl − selectivity, from ~13 to ~240. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal that the ultrahigh F − conductivity and selectivity can be ascribed mainly to the high F − concentration in the UiO-66 channels, arising from specific interactions between F − ions and F − binding sites in the MOF channels.