Ancient Glass Trick Enables Easier Manufacturing of MOF Glasses
Researchers revived a centuries-old glassmaking idea to tune metal–organic framework (MOF) glasses by adding small alkali-containing compounds (sodium or lithium). These additives loosen the glass network, lower the softening temperature, and improve flow, making MOF glasses easier to melt and reform. The team used high-temperature solid-state NMR and AI-driven modeling to show how sodium integrates into the glass, potentially expanding MOF glasses’ use in gas separation, storage, catalysis, and coatings, moving them closer to real-world manufacturing.