Design and fabrication of covalent organic frameworks doped membranes and their application advances in desalination and wastewater treatment

The increasing complexities associated with water pollution and the growing shortage of freshwater resources pose significant obstacles to the long-term sustainability of human civilization. Consequently, there is an urgent need for the development of inventive approaches to wastewater treatment and recycling in order to address these issues. Membrane separation technology, renowned for its versatility and efficiency, has found widespread application in domains like seawater desalination, food processing, energy conservation, and environmental stewardship. Recent research has focused on membranes doped with cellular materials for separating heavy metal ions and organic substances in water. One salient development in this arena is the advent of covalent organic frameworks (COFS), a novel category of crystalline cellular organic polymer materials. Characterized by an extensive specific surface area, structured channels, adjustable architecture, robust thermal and chemical resilience, COFs present a promising avenue for water treatment applications. This review undertakes a meticulous investigation of the synthesis and physicochemical attributes of COFs, accentuating the underlying design principles, associated challenges, and fabrication techniques of COF-doped membranes. Simultaneously, a comprehensive evaluation of their research trajectory and present status in the domains of seawater desalination and water treatment is presented. The article concludes by providing forward-thinking viewpoints and summarizing future efforts, emphasizing the significant significance of this innovative research in influencing the future direction of sustainable water management.