Research interests

• Host-in-host adsorbents for PFAS removal. One of our primary research interests is the use of host–guest chemistry in coordination cages to design novel porous adsorbents and related functional materials. We have applied this strategy to investigate the binding of both short- and long-chain PFAS within well-defined cage architectures, and subsequently translated these insights into host-in-host adsorbent systems by incorporating coordination cages into mesoporous silica. This approach not only provides a molecular-level understanding of PFAS recognition and binding, but also enables the rational design of advanced adsorbent materials with enhanced affinity for these environmentally persistent pollutants. See: Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2026, 65, 12, e26027

• Multi-variate Metal-organic Frameworks (MOFs). Our laboratory is developing new methodologies to control the structural and chemical complexity of porous frameworks. We employ a cage-linking strategy to construct structurally complex MOFs that incorporate multiple ligands and metal ions with atomic precision within the crystal lattice. This methodology promises greater control over the preparation of novel porous architectures, while also enabling the reversible disassembly of the frameworks under defined conditions. See: Chem. Sci. 2022, 13, 1, 68–73.

• Surface modification of cage compounds. Incorporating reactive functionality onto the surface of discrete coordination cages opens up new opportunities for linking them into diverse porous materials. Our group has explored amine-functionalised metal-organic cages and demonstrated that these can be cross-linked into organogels that serve as mechanically modular platforms for iodine capture and sequestration. See: Chem. Commun. 2022, 58, 12122–12125; Front. Chem. 2021, 9, 696081; Chem. Sci. 2020, 11, 14, 3664–3671.

Our Approach

Development of novel approaches to embed discrete cage compounds within porous framework materials

To explore our previous research outputs please visit the Publications section of this website.