Branched metal-organic framework nanoparticles and associated methods

A method, comprising:

• combining a metal salt comprising a metal ion, a multidentate ligand, and a chemical modulator in a liquid to form branched nanoparticles, the branched nanoparticles comprising a metal-organic framework, the metal-organic framework comprising the metal ion and the multidentate ligand,
• wherein the branched nanoparticles have a hydrodynamic diameter of less than or equal to 2 μm when measured by dynamic light scattering in methanol, an aspect ratio of at least 5, and branches having a largest diameter of less than or equal to 200 nm,
• wherein the metal-organic framework is HKUST-1 or a zeolitic imidazolate framework, and
• wherein the metal salt, multidentate ligand, and/or chemical modulator are selected such that the presence of at least 0.1 equivalents of the chemical modulator with respect to the concentration of the multidentate ligand increases the aspect ratio of the branched nanoparticles by at least a factor of 3 with respect to particles formed under identical conditions in the absence of the chemical modulator.