Designing a trimetallic MOF with copper, cobalt, and titanium: unlocking enhanced properties for advanced applications

A novel trimetallic metal-organic framework (MOF) containing copper, cobalt, and titanium (Cu/Co/Ti-MOF) was successfully synthesized using a microwave-assisted method. The material was characterized by FTIR, XRD, SEM-EDS, TEM, TGA, and BET analysis. The Cu/Co/Ti-MOF exhibited a moderate specific surface area of 54 m 2 /g and thermal stability up to 300 °C. The MOF showed significant anticancer activity against A-431 skin cancer cells with an IC 50 value of 31 μg/mL after 48 h. The Cu/Co/Ti-MOF at 50 μg/mL showed no cytotoxic effect on normal human epidermal keratinocytes after 48 h, confirming its biocompatibility toward non-cancerous skin cells. It also demonstrated broad-spectrum antibacterial and antifungal activities against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria as well as pathogenic fungi, with MIC values ranging from 4 to 32 μg/mL and MFC values from 8 to 64 μg/mL. Furthermore, the MOF removed 93% of Congo red dye (400 mg/L) within 90 min at 50 °C and pH 8, using an adsorbent dose of 60 mg/L. These findings indicate that the Cu/Co/Ti-MOF is a promising multifunctional material for biomedical and environmental applications.