Design, synthesis, and properties of polymer-cross-linked metal-organic cages/polyhedra

Metallosupramolecular assembly is a powerful strategy for constructing porous supramolecular architectures such as metal–organic cages (MOCs) and crystalline materials like metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). This talk will highlight our group's efforts to embed metallosupramolecular motifs within amorphous polymer matrices, yielding hybrid polymer networks that merge the processability and mechanical robustness of traditional polymers with the structural precision and functionality of MOFs. These polymer–metal–organic hybrid materials exhibit tunable porosity, dynamic mechanical behavior, and well-defined local environments that can be programmed at the molecular level. I will discuss how controlling the interplay between coordination geometry, polymer topology, and dynamic bonding leads to emergent properties, including stimuli-responsive deformation, self-healing, and selective molecular capture. Finally, I will introduce recent applications spanning photoswitchable actuation, chemical separations, and remediation of persistent pollutants such as PFAS, illustrating how metallosupramolecular design principles can drive innovation at the interface of polymer chemistry and materials science.