Conductive porous crystals can switch from metals to semiconductors using ripples of electrical charge called charge density waves.
April 24, 2026
Original Paper
Atomic-scale origin of charge density wave-driven metal-semiconductor transition in an incommensurately modulated metal-organic framework
arXiv · 2604.19640
The Takeaway
Metal-organic frameworks are porous materials usually used for gas storage, but some can also conduct electricity. Researchers have finally seen the atomic-scale evidence for charge density waves within these structures. These waves cause the material to flip its electronic state in a way that was previously only seen in solid crystals. This discovery explains how these breathable materials can be used to create new kinds of sensors and electronic switches. It opens the door to high-tech electronics made from lightweight, porous chemical frameworks.
From the abstract
The intrinsic incommensurate charge density wave in metal-organic frameworks has remained elusive due to the lack of direct evidence linking atomic-scale structural modulation to macroscopic electronic properties. Using high-quality Pr3HHTP2 (HHTP = 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexahydroxytriphenylene) single crystals as a model system, we precisely resolve, for the first time, the incommensurately modulated structure of a conductive metal-organic framework at 100 K (modulation vector q = 0.39143(12) c*) via t