Methane (CH₄), which is the main component of natural gas, is an abundant and widely available carbon resource. However, CH₄ has a low energy density of only 36 kJ L^–1 under ambient conditions, which is significantly lower than that of gasoline (ca. 34 MJ L^–1). The activation and catalytic conversion of CH₄ into value-added chemicals [e.g., methanol (CH₃OH), which has an energy density of ca. 17 MJ L^–1], can effectively lift its energy density. However, this conversion is highly challenging due to the inert nature of CH₄, characterized by its strong C–H bonds and high stability. Consequently, the development of efficient materials that can optimize the binding and activation pathway of CH₄ with control of product selectivity has attracted considerable recent interest. Metal–organic framework (MOF) materials have emerged as particularly attractive candidates for the development of efficient sorbents and heterogeneous catalysts due to their high porosity, low density, high surface area and structural versatility. These properties enable MOFs to act as effective platforms for the adsorption, binding and catalytic conversion of CH₄ into valuable chemicals. Recent reports have highlighted MOFs as promising materials for these applications, leading to new insights into the structure–activity relationships that govern their performance in various systems.

中文翻译：

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金属-有机框架材料上甲烷的活化和催化


甲烷 （CH₄） 是天然气的主要成分，是一种丰富且广泛可用的碳资源。然而，CH₄ 在环境条件下的能量密度很低，仅为 36 kJ L^–1，明显低于汽油（约 34 MJ L^–1）。CH₄ 的活化和催化转化为增值化学品 [例如，甲醇 （CH₃OH），其能量密度约为 17 MJ L^–1]，可以有效提高其能量密度。然而，由于 CH₄ 的惰性特性，这种转换极具挑战性，其特点是 C-H 键强且稳定性高。因此，开发能够优化 CH₄ 结合和激活途径并控制产品选择性的高效材料最近引起了相当大的兴趣。金属有机框架 （MOF） 材料因其高孔隙率、低密度、高表面积和结构多功能性而成为开发高效吸附剂和非均相催化剂的特别有吸引力的候选材料。这些特性使 MOF 能够作为 CH₄ 吸附、结合和催化转化为有价值化学品的有效平台。最近的报告强调 MOF 是这些应用的有前途的材料，从而对控制其在各种系统中性能的结构-活性关系有了新的见解。