Covalent organic frameworks membranes: Fabrication and applications

In recent years, covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have garnered considerable attention as a captivating class of organic porous crystalline materials, characterized by their remarkable features such as well-ordered pore channels, and facile functionalization. In this review article, we provide a comprehensive overview of the latest breakthroughs in the field of covalent organic framework (COF) membranes achieved in the past few years. Specifically, we delve into the various fabrication methods employed for COF membranes, including the bottom-up approach (comprising interfacial polymerized method, solvothermal approach, continuous flow method, layer-by-layer self-assembly, chemical vapor deposition and electrophoretic deposition) and the top-down strategy. Moreover, we highlight the remarkable applications of COF membranes, encompassing areas such as water purification, chiral sieving, gas separation, proton conduction, and sensors. Finally, we analyze the existing challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in this field, with a view to providing a roadmap for future research endeavors.