Switchable Surface Hydrophobicity-Hydrophilicity of a Metal-Organic Framework

Materials with surfaces that can be switched from high/superhydrophobicity to superhydrophilicity are useful for myriad applications. Herein, we report a metal–organic framework (MOF) assembled from ZnII ions, 1,4‐benzenedicarboxylate, and a hydrophobic carborane‐based linker. The MOF crystal‐surface can be switched between hydrophobic and superhydrophilic through a chemical treatment to remove some of the building blocks. Switching surfaces: A metal–organic framework, based on 2D layers of Zn4(bdc)2 connected through a pillaring hydrophobic carborane‐based linker, switches from hydrophobic to superhydrophilic and vice versa, upon chemical treatment.