Recent trends on the implementation of reticular materials in column-centered separations

Advances in the development of column-based analytical separations are strongly linked to the development of novel materials. Stationary phases for chromatographic separation are usually based on silica and polymer materials. Nevertheless, recent advances have been made using porous crystalline reticular materials, such as metal-organic frameworks and covalent organic frameworks. However, the direct packing of these materials is often limited due to their small crystal size and nonspherical shape. In this review, recent strategies to incorporate porous crystalline materials as stationary phases for liquid-phase separations are covered. Moreover, we discuss the potential future directions in their development and integration into suitable supports for analytical applications. Finally, we discuss the main challenges to be solved to take full advantage of these materials as stationary phases for analytical separations.