Recent Progress in Covalent Organic Framework-Based Membranes: Design, Synthesis, and Applications in the Fields of...

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are crystalline materials composed of lightweight elements (C, H, O, N, S, etc.), distinguished by their long-range ordered structure, tunable pore sizes, high crystallinity, excellent thermal stability, large specific surface areas, and low density, which have been widely applied into many fields. Further applications and large-scale production are limited due to difficulties in recycling the powdered materials. Recent studies have shown that COF-based membrane materials can overcome the defects of powdered materials and broaden their application range. Herein, we present our Viewpoint on strategies for the preparation of COF-based membranes and their applications in energy storage and pollutants removal. First, the design and synthesis strategies of COF-based membranes are reviewed, including interfacial polymerization, solvothermal methods, template methods, and so on. Subsequently, the performance of COF-based membranes in energy storage (lithium-ion extraction, lithium-metal battery, and others) and pollutant removal (heavy metal ions and organic pollutants) is evaluated. Furthermore, the interaction mechanisms between pollutants and COF-based membranes at both macroscopic and microscopic level are summarized, incorporating theoretical computations and advanced spectroscopic techniques. Finally, a summary is given and perspectives on the challenges and future development directions for COF-based membranes in energy storage and pollutants removal are discussed.