New nanocrystals put a tiny twist on useful materials

A new kind of tiny particle is a big deal in UO chemist Carl Brozek's lab. He and his team have made a versatile kind of porous material called a metal-organic framework, or MOF, into nanocrystals—a form that's easier to use beyond the lab. Nanoparticles such as these have a wide range of potential applications, from surface coatings that can store electric charge, to filters that remove contaminants from air or water.