From synthesis to application: Exploring the structure, stability, and functional performance of metal–organic frameworks

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), particularly two-dimensional (2D) MOFs, have attracted growing interest due to their tunable architectures, ultrahigh surface areas (≈1000–7000 m² g⁻¹), and multifunctional properties. This review provides a comprehensive assessment of MOF synthesis, stability, properties, and applications, with a strong emphasis on 2D MOFs and thin-film architectures. Quantitative comparisons show that 2D MOFs offer enhanced accessible active sites and faster mass/charge transport than conventional 3D MOFs, while electrochemical deposition enables uniform MOF films with controllable thicknesses as low as 1–5 nm, significantly thinner than solvothermally grown films (>10–50 nm). Electrochemical methods further reduce fabrication time from days to minutes–hours and improve film adhesion on diverse conductive substrates. Stability trends are critically analyzed, demonstrating that high-valent metal MOFs (e.g., Zr⁴⁺-, Cr³⁺-, and Al³⁺-based frameworks) maintain crystallinity and porosity over wide pH ranges (≈1–12) and temperatures exceeding 300 °C, outperforming many low-valent analogues. Application-level metrics reveal adsorption capacities approaching ∼1000 mg g⁻¹, proton conductivities up to 10⁻² S cm⁻¹, and enhanced chemiresistive sensing responses enabled by ultrathin films. The novelty of this review lies in quantitatively correlating synthesis routes, especially electrochemical deposition, with stability and device-relevant performance metrics. By integrating fabrication strategies, stability design principles, and functional benchmarking, this work provides a unified framework for developing robust and scalable MOFs for next-generation sensing, catalysis, separation, energy, and biomedical applications.