Advances in metal-organic frameworks for water remediation applications

Rapid industrialization and agricultural development have resulted in the accumulation of a variety of harmful contaminants in water resources. Thus, various approaches such as adsorption, photocatalytic degradation and methods for sensing water contaminants have been developed to solve the problem of water pollution. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a class of coordination networks comprising organic-inorganic hybrid porous materials having organic ligands attached to inorganic metal ions/clusters via coordination bonds. MOFs represent an emerging class of materials for application in water remediation owing to their versatile structural and chemical characteristics, such as well-ordered porous structures, large specific surface area, structural diversity, and tunable sites. The present review is focused on recent advances in various MOFs for application in water remediation via the adsorption and photocatalytic degradation of water contaminants. The sensing of water pollutants using MOFs via different approaches, such as luminescence, electrochemical, colorimetric, and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopic techniques, is also discussed. The high porosity and chemical tunability of MOFs are the main driving forces for their widespread applications, which have huge potential for their commercial use.

Syntheses of a series of lanthanide metal–organic frameworks for efficient UV-light-driven dye degradation: experiment and simulation

Three Ln-MOFs show unique 3,8-connected 3D networks and have been used as photocatalysts for the degradation of organic dye methyl violet under UV light.

Two Ln-based metal–organic frameworks based on the 5-(1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)-1,3-benzenedicarboxylic acid ligand: syntheses, structures, and photocatalytic properties

Two new 3D Ln-based complexes showing (6,8)-connected topology were synthesized and the photocatalytic activity of the Sm(iii)-based MOF towards the degradation of methyl violet (MV) in water explored.

The effect of metal ions on photocatalytic performance based on an isostructural framework

The different central metal ions in CPs have a variety of electronic configurations, which can produce a great impact on the photocatalytic properties.

Direct oxidative coupling of amidine hydrochlorides and methylarenes: TBHP-mediated synthesis of substituted 1,3,5-triazines under metal-free conditions

Various 2,4,6-trisubstituted 1,3,5-triazines were smoothly formed via TBHP-mediated direct oxidative coupling of amidine and methylarenes.

Novel coordination polymers of Zn(ii) and Cd(ii) tuned by different aromatic polycarboxylates: synthesis, structures and photocatalytic properties

Six fascinating coordination polymers (CPs) showed good photocatalytic activities for the degradation of methylene blue (MB).