How Reticular Chemistry Pushes the Limits in Physics

Abstract

Reticular chemistry emerged at the turn of the 1990s and 2000s as a fundamentally new approach to the design of ordered coordination polymers and metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), offering high porosity, rich and tunable surface chemistry, and unprecedented control over their chemical composition and structural architecture. The recognition of this field by the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry further highlights its transformative impact on modern materials science.
The unique combination of the hybrid organic–inorganic nature of MOFs and the coexistence of diverse chemical interactions within a single crystal (from strong covalent and coordination bonds to weak van der Waals interactions) has established MOFs as aimportant crystals for modern physics. Their applications now extend far beyond traditional porous-material chemistry, encompassing nonlinear optics, energy conversion and transport, quantum phenomena, biophysics, and biophotonics. The molecular-level control via retiqular chemistry has fundamentally changed the way functional crystals can be designed for specific physical (especially optical) applications.
In this talk, I will review recent advances in adaptive and biocompatible MOF microcrystals for nonlinear optics and biophotonics. I will discuss how optical spectroscopy (from steady-state and nonlinear spectroscopies to spatially and temporally resolved measurements) can be used to reveal the underlying physical mechanisms, establish the relevant optical response, and determine the operational parameters of adaptive MOF microcrystals. These examples illustrate how reticular chemistry can bridge molecular design, optical spectroscopy, and emerging bio-oriented photonic technologies, extending the limits in physics and optics.

Speaker

Valentin A. MILICHKO
New Uzbekistan University
Uzbekistan

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