Proton conductive thin films of metal-organic framework for impedance detection of formic acid

The development of a highly efficient sensor capable of detecting formic acid is crucial for monitoring air quality and determining the leakage because of the strong corrosivity and pungency. In this work, we present the superiority of a proton conductive metal-organic framework (MOF) thin film as a sensing material for highly efficient detection of formic acid at room temperature. Specifically, MOF-801, a zirconium-based MOF, exhibits exceptional chemical stability and inherent proton conduction, along with a significant surface area and high porosity. Through the solvothermal synthetic method, highly uniform and densely packed thin films of MOF-801 are successfully fabricated on glass substrates. The resulting sensor, based on MOF-801 thin films, displays exceptional sensitivity, selectivity, and durability for detecting formic acid at room temperature, outperforming both other MOFs based sensors and the traditional metal-oxide-based sensors that operate at high temperatures.