Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), also called “hybrid porous crystallised solids”, are coordination polymers with a hybrid inorganic-organic framework comprising metal ions and organic ligands coordinated to said metal ions.

These materials are organised as mono-, bi- or tri-dimensional networks wherein the metal clusters are linked to each other by spacing ligands periodically. These materials have a crystalline structure and are generally porous.

In the present work, the research team has developped porous metal-organic frameworks with or without a modified surface loaded with at least one gas
of biological interest. These MOF solids are capable of adsorbing and releasing gases of biological interest in a controlled manner. 

Among targeted gas of biological interest, one can cite carbon monoxide (CO) and nitric oxide (NO).
It is known that both CO and NO at very low concentrations have an important activity as signaling molecules in the body.

There exists a real need to :

• develop systems enabling the adsorption and the release of gases of biological interest, in which said systems have a strong adsorption capacity and the release of the gases can be carried out continuously and in a targeted manner
• have systems which make it possible to deliver, in a controlled manner, the optimum amount of gas necessary for a given application
• have systems which make it possible to control the duration of release of the gases in a physiological medium
•  have systems which have sufficient load capacities, especially if repeated gas administrations are envisaged

The present invention aims at answering each of these needs.