Recent developments in design and fabrication of ZIF-based materials for CO₂ mitigation and environmental remediation

In materials, zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) are an important subclass of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) that have gathered a lot of attention due to their distinctive, highly crystalline tetrahedral structure that resembles and provides better chemical and thermal robustness than many traditional MOF systems. Starting with the fundamental concepts of structural topology, including sodalite (SOD), and diamondoid (DIA) networks, it is necessary to consider the essential controlling role of the coordinate bonds between metal-ion bridging imidazole or imidazolate ion (M-Im-M) links, which determine the formation and stability of ZIF materials. In this review, a thorough discussion explores the development of ZIF and a detailed overview of synthesis techniques, following the evolution from conventional solvothermal and solvent-dependent methods to eco-friendly strategies like liquid-assisted grinding (LAG), mechanochemical synthesis, and microwave-assisted synthesis (MAS). Characterization techniques, including N₂ adsorption-desorption isotherms, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and powder x-ray diffraction (PXRD), have been summarized to validate the intrinsic properties. A significant emphasis is made on core applications, which include catalytic role i.e. homogeneous, heterogeneous, photocatalysis as well as CO₂ adsorption. The adsorption mechanisms have been summarized keeping in view the inherent hydrophobicity of the imidazolate linkers for increased selectivity, as well as the fabrication process and structural optimization required for industrial viability. Future research directions emphasize investigations regarding multivariate ZIFs (MTV-ZIFs) and the continuous need to make it cost-effective, high-throughput manufacturing techniques while rigorously addressing long-term durability in corrosive environments.