New Edible Nanostructures Could be Used for Medical Applications

A research team Northwestern University has discovered a new class of nanostructures that could be used for medical technologies and a variety of other applications. The edible porous crystals are said to be the first known all-natural metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) that are simple to make. “They taste kind of bitter, like a Saltine cracker, starchy and bland,” says Ronald A. Smaldone, a postdoctoral fellow at Northwestern. “But the beauty is that all the starting materials are nontoxic, biorenewable and widely available.”

Metal-organic frameworks are well-ordered, lattice-like crystals. The nodes of the lattices are metals (such as copper, zinc, nickel or cobalt), and organic molecules connect the nodes. Within their very roomy pores, MOFs can effectively store gases such as hydrogen or carbon dioxide, making the nanostructures of special interest to engineers as well as scientists.

More information on the research is available from Northwestern University.

Tags: Northwestern University, Ronald A. Smaldone