Advanced Functional Porous Materials and their Hybrid Composites for Energy-Efficient Chemical Separation Application

Abstract

Advanced functional porous materials (AFPMs) and their hybrid composites have emerged as promising solutions for energy-efficient chemical separation applications. These innovative materials possess unique structural properties and tailored surface functionalities, allowing for highly efficient and selective separation of various chemicals. By integrating different types of materials, such as metal-organic frameworks/gel (MOFs/MOG), metal-organic polyhedra (MOP), covalent organic frameworks (COFs), and porous polymers, with complementary characteristics, the resulting hybrid composites exhibit enhanced performance and versatility toward a wide spectrum of applications. The rational design and synthesis of these materials enable precise control over pore size, surface chemistry, and mechanical stability, leading to improved separation efficiency, reduced energy consumption, and increased sustainability. These advancements hold great potential for revolutionizing chemical separation processes in industries such as pharmaceuticals, petrochemicals, and environmental remediation, contributing to a more sustainable and energy-efficient future. In this line, we explored the design and development of targeted AFPMs and their hybrid composites toward task-specific sequestration applications. Briefly, a series of chemically stable microporous COFs with tunable N-heteroatomic sites were applied for sequestration of radioactive organic iodides from vapor phase under both static and dynamic condition. Further, a macro-micro hierarchical porous organic network was investigated for improved segregation property towards a variety of inorganic-organic persistent pollutants in water. Next, sequestration of wide range of heavy metal-based toxic oxoanions from water was demonstrated by a MOP@MOG hybrid composite aerogel. Finally, ultrafast selective entrapment of radioiodine from both vapor and aqueous phase was manifested by a unique MOP@COF hybrid ultralight material. In conclusion, several key design factors as well as hybrid composite fabrication have been thoroughly investigated in order to build customized innovative porous materials with enhanced effectiveness in on-field water treatment and chemicals segregation application.