Highlights from EU4MOFs WG, CG and MC meetings in Brussels

On the 27-28^th February 2025 EU4MOFs held Working Group (WG), Core Group (CG) and Management Committee (MC) meetings in Brussels (Belgium).

The hybrid Working Group meeting, held on 27^th February 2025, brought together 45 attendees on-site and 10 online members, who are leading MOF experts from academia and industry.

The event began with a warm welcome from Action Chair, Prof. Stefan Wuttke, and Vice-Chair, Dr. Romy Ettlinger, who emphasized the importance of collaboration and innovation within the MOF community. Dr. Angelo Basteris, the Science Officer, provided a comprehensive update on the Action’s ongoing progress and key statistics, underscoring the significant contributions of the EU4MOFs network to scientific advancement. Dr. Quim Peña and Katchamon Nimprang then delivered a presentation on reimbursement claims.

The meeting featured an engaging Ice Breaker activity, designed to foster a sense of camaraderie among participants, promote informal networking and strengthen relationships between attendees.

The Multilab Synthesis and Characterisation initiative of WG1 and WG3, led by Dr. Ocean Cheung, focuses on the standardization of MOF synthesis and characterization procedures. The project involves around 30 laboratories worldwide, each following two common MOF synthesis protocols, which are then carried out at individual labs to study reproducibility. The goal is to create standardized synthesis protocols that are reproducible across a wide range of laboratories, ensuring consistency in the resulting materials. Additionally, the team is exploring the creation of a standardized Information File, similar to the widely used .cif file, which would store and standardize synthesis protocol details. One of the challenges is integrating existing published data into a database, possibly linked to AI, to facilitate the screening of synthesis protocols and identify the most suitable ones. While it’s impossible to control all variables, the focus remains on reproducibility—narrowing down the synthesis procedures and PIF files to those that are most reliable. Future steps include evaluating the green aspects, energy efficiency, and scalability of the processes. The goal is to create machine-readable, user-friendly interfaces for these files, making it easier to process and input data across a wide variety of labs.

Dr. Christoph Kreisbeck, CEO of Aixelo, outlined how AI is transforming materials science, particularly in MOF research. Aixelo, a spin-out from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), uses AI to prioritize MOF candidates, morphologies, and process design while optimizing synthesis conditions, implementing green chemistry, and enabling upscaling. By automating lab processes such as data management, digital experiments, and synthesis, Aixelo simplifies AI integration into research workflows. (Edison-4.0) Aixelo’s machine learning models embedded in Edison-4.0 help to predict and material syntheses. The goal is to speed up time-to-market for new materials, providing labs with structured, AI-driven tools to enhance synthesis and scale-up processes.

Alex Cruz from Baker Hughes discussed the translation of MOF technologies towards industry, emphasizing the importance of scaling up and commercializing innovations. Baker Hughes aims to drive profitable growth while advancing climate technology solutions. Partnering with UC Berkeley, Baker Hughes established the Global Decarbonization Research Institute to accelerate the development of decarbonization technologies. Dr. Cruz emphasized the challenge of optimizing space-time-yield as a major cost factor and stressed the need to translate MOF innovations for non-scientific audiences, such as politicians and investors, to drive market adoption and commercialization.

Dr. Ellart de Wit, Chief Technology Officer at ON2Quest, discussed the company’s focus on hydrogen and industrial gas cleaning, particularly through advanced gas purification technology. ON2Quest aims to enhance gas purification systems using MOFs as a versatile material platform. Their technologies include on-site generation, gas recycling systems, and PSA systems for industrial gases, with a particular focus on N₂, H₂, and O₂, as well as CO₂ removal systems. De Wit emphasized that achieving successful implementation in their systems requires kilogram-scale amounts of material. The company is exploring the potential to improve existing materials and combine functions to meet the needs of these systems. However, the key challenge remains balancing costs, including chemistry, system engineering, and production.

During the breakout room discussions at the EU4MOFs meeting, participants focused on how the network can make a tangible impact through two key areas: Multilab Synthesis and Scale-Up, and the Performance-Modelling.

In Breakout Group 1, participants discussed how to protocol synthesis and lab practices, suggesting the use of a Information Filefor standardization. They also identified essential minimum characterization data, such as physico-chemical and structural information. The group explored ways to ensure open access to data via electronic lab journals or online repositories, alongside setting minimum reporting standards. Key synthesis parameters for scale-up were also discussed. Lastly, the group examined how EU4MOFs can support efficient scale-up and encourage industrial involvement through the use of specific tools and partnerships with companies.

In Breakout Group 2, the minimum features for modelling in different applications were identified. For medicinal applications, key properties include particle size and surface area, while for energy applications, porosity and thermal stability are essential. For water applications, adsorption capacity and stability are critical. To promote the use of modeling, machine learning (ML), and AI, the group emphasized the need for generating readable files to facilitate data sharing and interpretation. Additionally, enhancing industry involvement was seen as crucial to maximizing performance and accelerating the application of MOFs in real-world scenarios.

The following day, 28th February, the Coordination Group and Management Committee meetings took place, where strategic discussions and planning for future research projects and collaborations were at the forefront.

The MC meeting commenced with a warm welcome from Action Chair, Prof. Stefan Wuttke, and Vice-Chair, Dr. Romy Ettlinger. Dr. Angelo Basteris, the Science Officer, followed with a detailed update on the Action’s progress and key statistics. Dr. Quim Peña then presented on reimbursement claims. To foster further collaboration, the meeting then moved to an icebreaker activity designed to expand the network and encourage stronger connections among participants.

Dr. Olesia Kulyk, Science Communication Coordinator, provided a comprehensive overview of the communication efforts within the EU4MOFs Action. She began by outlining the communication products, tools, and channels used to increase visibility, including the Action’s logo, website, and social media presence. She also discussed key events organized and attended by Action members, STSMs and virtual mobility grants, the launch of the “MOFCast” podcast, and shared outcomes, such as five publications and a joint project between Serbia and Turkey.

Following up, the leaders of the working groups summarized the achievements made so far and presented their plans. Each working group leader emphasized the importance of continued networking and knowledge exchange within the EU4MOFs community to foster innovation and accelerate the commercialization of MOF technologies. This session provided an opportunity for all participants to engage in discussions and contribute ideas, further strengthening the Action’s collective goals.

Dr. Olesia Kulyk, Science Communication Coordinator, SSI “Institute for Single Crystals” of NAS of Ukraine

Prof. Dariusz Matoga, WG1 Leader, Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland

Prof. Thomas P. Burg (Technische Universität Darmstadt, Germany) and Dr. Andreas Kaiser (Technical University of Denmark), WG2 Leader and Co-Leader (from left to right)

Dr. Bettina Baumgartner (Universiteit van Amsterdam) and Dr. Evelyn Ploetz (Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München), WG3 Co-Leader and Leader (from left to right)

Dr. İlknur Erucar Findikci, WG4 Leader, Ozyegin University, Turkey

Prof. Joanna Gościańska, WG5 Leader, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland

The EU4MOFs meetings in Brussels marked another significant milestone in the network’s ongoing commitment to advancing research in Metal-Organic Frameworks, driving innovation, and fostering collaboration between academia and industry. The event was a testament to the continued success and growth of EU4MOFs, providing an excellent platform for both new and established experts to work together toward groundbreaking scientific developments.