Weaving of organic threads into a crystalline covalent organic framework

Weaving organic threads Woven fabrics are inherently flexible. Liu et al. created a molecular fabric analog using metal-organic frameworks (see the Perspective by Gutierrez-Puebla). Phenanthroline ligands on a copper metal complex directed the addition of organic linkers via imine bonds to create helical organic threads with woven texture. Removing the copper allowed the strands to slide against each other and increased the elasticity of the material 10-fold. Science , this issue p. 365 ; see also p. 336