Chemical Research in Chinese Universities ›› 2026, Vol. 42 ›› Issue (1): 63-83.doi: 10.1007/s40242-026-5247-5

• Review Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Construction of Functional Metal-Organic Frameworks and Their Applications in the Biomedical Field

WANG Siyu1, DAI Yutong2, ZHANG Jing2, TONG Yiling2, YANG Jingru2, LIU Songyao2, DAI Zhifeng2, MENG Xiangju3   

  1. 1. Department of Colorectal Surgery, School of Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311100, P. R. China;
    2. Key Laboratory of Surface & Interface Science of Polymer Materials of Zhejiang Province, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, P. R. China;
    3. Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, P. R. China
  • Received:2025-10-13 Online:2026-02-01 Published:2026-01-28
  • Contact: DAI Zhifeng,E-mail:daizhifeng1988@163.com;MENG Xiangju,E-mail:mengxj@zju.edu.cn E-mail:daizhifeng1988@163.com;mengxj@zju.edu.cn
  • Supported by:
    This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 22472152 and 22125204).

Abstract: Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), a class of porous crystalline materials formed through the coordination-driven self-assembly of metal ions or clusters with organic ligands, have become a subject of extensive research within materials science owing to their distinctive properties, including structural tailorability, high surface area and porosity, diverse functionality, and precise chemical tunability. This review provides a systematic summary of strategies for synthesizing functional MOF materials, encompassing postsynthetic modification, surface coating, host-guest encapsulation, and the construction of core-shell architectures. A particular emphasis is placed on analyzing recent advances in the biomedical applications of MOFs, such as targeted drug delivery, antimicrobial applications, bioimaging, and wound healing. Drawing on the latest scientific developments, this work also addresses key challenges hindering the translation of MOFs, including inherent stability limitations, biosafety concerns, and scalability issues. Furthermore, it outlines promising future research directions, including the development of stimuli-responsive architectures, computational and artificial intelligence-guided discovery, and sustainable synthesis paradigms. By offering a comprehensive overview of the current research landscape and practical potential of MOFs, this review aims to support further scientific investigation and facilitate their industrial adoption.

Key words: Metal-organic framework (MOF), Surface functionalization, Biomedical application