COF and MOF Hybrids: Advanced Materials for Wastewater Treatment

Recent advances in ordered porous materials, including metal-organic (MOF) and covalent organic frameworks (COF), are set to revolutionize the strategies used for wastewater treatment. This is attributed to the large surface area, high crystallinity, structural tunability, thermal and chemical stability, and well-defined structures of MOF and COF. Despite the distinctive properties exhibited by the single system (either MOF or COF), the combination of COF and MOF, as a hybrid construct, offers a remarkable opportunity to achieve superior functionality and performance. The favorable features of COF–MOF hybrids in different wastewater treatment sectors have opened new venues for effective environmental remediation. This review presents the state-of-the-art design, synthesis, and application of COF–MOF hybrids. The synthesis principles, including MOF-first, COF-first, and post-synthetic linkage of pre-synthesized COFs and MOFs are summarized. The potential of these novel materials is evaluated by considering contaminant sensing, adsorptive removal, and catalytic photodegradation.The conclusion is drawn by assessing the existing hurdles and potential opportunities in the development of COF-MOF hybrids as an innovative yet viable approach for addressing wastewater treatment.