MHFs

MHFs is an acronym that can refer to several concepts in different fields. This article focuses on Metal Hydride Frameworks, a proposed class of porous crystalline materials that integrate hydride chemistry into reticular frameworks to merge properties of metal hydrides with those of extended networks.

Metal Hydride Frameworks (MHFs) are envisioned as materials in which metal centers contribute hydride ligands or hydride-rich units that are linked by organic or inorganic connectors to form a three-dimensional lattice. Synthesis methods discussed in early literature include solvothermal or hydrothermal assembly, sometimes aided by templating or post-synthetic modification. Characterization relies on X-ray diffraction to determine topology, spectroscopy to probe M–H interactions, and gas sorption analyses (BET) to quantify porosity.

Potential advantages include high hydrogen storage density, tunable pore environments, and multifunctional activity for catalysis or sensing. In practice, achieving reversible, fast hydrogen uptake at near-ambient temperatures and pressures remains challenging due to hydride stability, heat release or absorption, and diffusion kinetics. Research also explores the integration of MHFs into energy devices and catalytic systems, where the framework can modulate reactivity while providing accessible storage or binding sites.

Status: research into MHFs is exploratory and not yet standardized. The term may appear in various contexts across materials science and chemical engineering, but in this article it denotes metal hydride frameworks. Ongoing work seeks to balance storage capacity, reversibility, and stability to evaluate practical potential in energy-related applications.