Crystalline sponge method represents a rather new trend in structural analysis. This method is to use networked porous metal complexes as “crystalline sponges”, which does not require the crystallization of the sample. It has large and regular cavities which can absorb the target molecules like sponges and arrange them in an orderly manner, so that their structures can be determined with X-ray diffraction. In this review, we focus on recent trends in crystalline sponge method. Following an introduction in the field, a first main section covers the birth of crystalline sponge method and the improvement of crystal synthesis method. The further section covers structural confirmation, including the guest molecular structure determination and host-guest interactions. The next main section covers the expansion of crystalline sponge method, such as the applications in synthesis, other crystalline sponge and visual observation. The final section covers the limitations and prospects of the crystalline sponge method.

结晶海绵法在结构分析中代表了一个相当新的趋势。该方法是使用网络化的多孔金属络合物作为“结晶海绵”，它不需要样品的结晶。它具有大而规则的腔体，可以像海绵一样吸收目标分子并使其有序排列，从而可以通过X射线衍射确定其结构。在这篇综述中，我们集中于结晶海绵法的最新趋势。在本领域的介绍之后，第一主要部分包括结晶海绵法的诞生和晶体合成方法的改进。进一步的部分涵盖结构确认，包括客体分子结构的确定和主客体的相互作用。下一个主要部分介绍了结晶海绵方法的扩展，例如在合成中的应用，其他结晶海绵和视觉观察。最后一部分介绍了结晶海绵法的局限性和前景。