Advanced materials for energy harvesting: Exploring the potential of MOFs and MXene membranes in osmotic energy applications

The rising demand for energy, coupled with the depletion of fossil fuel resources, poses a critical challenge to sustainable development. Osmotic energy, often termed “blue energy,” is emerging as a compelling renewable solution that leverages the natural salinity gradient between seawater and freshwater to generate electricity. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of osmotic energy harvesting (OEH) systems with a focus on advanced materials, particularly metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) and MXenes, which exhibit promising properties for efficient osmotic-to-electric energy conversion. MOFs and MXenes offer unique structural advantages, including high surface areas, tunable pore structures, and robust ion transport channels, making them ideal candidates for OEH applications. Through a detailed exploration of the synthetic processes, structural modifications, and integration techniques of these materials, we highlight their suitability for scalable and efficient OEH devices. Additionally, we examined the current challenges, such as material stability, ion selectivity, and manufacturing scalability, and proposed potential strategies for overcoming these barriers. This review aims to provide foundational insights and identify future directions for utilizing MOFs and MXenes in the field of renewable energy, thereby contributing to the advancement of sustainable energy technologies capable of meeting global energy demands.