Scalable shaping of metal-organic frameworks via hybrid binder-assisted granulation for atmospheric water harvesting

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are promising adsorbents for atmospheric water harvesting (AWH), but their powdery form causes severe handling issues and limits their practical deployment. Existing MOF shaping methods often suffer from a trade-off among adsorption capacity, mechanical strength, and process convenience. Here, we report a mild, scalable extrusion-granulation strategy using a hybrid organic-inorganic binder recipe, comprising hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), CaO, MgO, and kaolin, to convert MOF powders into robust beads of various controlled diameters under ambient conditions. The synergistic binder recipe helps to preserve the MOF crystallinity and porosity, while significantly enhancing compressive strength and attrition resistance. The shaping strategy is demonstrated with several representative MOFs including Al-fumarate, UiO-66, MOF-801, ZIF-67, and MIL-101. Kilogram-scale production of hygroscopic MOF beads and device-level integration are demonstrated in a prototype AWH device, delivering a water production of 2.43 L·day⁻¹ in practical open conditions. This work provides a practical and viable route for translating MOF powders into deployable macroscopically structured adsorbents for efficient AWH.