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Project

Zirconium(IV)/Cerium(IV) bimetallic metal organic frameworks as novel redox active artificial proteases: a systematic study of molecular interactions and catalytic properties

Metal Organic Frameworks (MOFs) are a fascinating new class of porous material with applications ranging from gas storage for hydrogen power, absorptive materials for kidney dialysis, to novel catalysts for protein cleavage (hydrolysis). They are formed of metaloxygen clusters joined by carbon-based linkers to form highly structured crystals with well-defined pores. By varying the metal and linker species, an infinite range of MOFs can be produced, and it is possible to design MOFs for specific functions. In this project we will be investigating MOFs to see how efficiently they can cleave proteins as unlike the traditional protein cleavage methods, MOFs cleave proteins into larger fragments making the fragments easier to identify and thus MOFs are invaluable to future proteomics research. So far, zirconium-MOFs are the most robust and are very efficient at protein hydrolysis. Increasingly, other metals are being used to produce MOFs with different structural properties or with superior catalytic performance. Cerium-MOFs for example exhibit better catalytic properties than Zr-MOFs, however they are less stable. Therefore in this project we will synthesise a series of MOFs containing both metals, cerium and zirconium, with five different overall structures and pore sizes to produce MOFs with the stability of the Zr-MOFs, but with the catalytic activity of the Ce-MOFs.
 

Date:1 Nov 2019 →  31 Oct 2023
Keywords:Catalysis, Cerium, Zirconium, Metal Organic Framework
Disciplines:Bioinorganic chemistry, Coordination chemistry, Chemical characterisation of materials, Catalysis, Analytical biochemistry
Project type:PhD project