Designing Solution-Processable Covalent Organic Frameworks: Opportunities and Challenges.

Since their discovery, numerous covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have been reported, showcasing unique properties that make them materials of choice for a wide range of applications. COFs have gained significant attention due to their fascinating characteristics, such as tunable pore structures, customizable functionality, and high crystallinity. Despite substantial progress in this field, the widespread application of COFs remains limited due to challenges in large-scale synthesis, issues with repeatability, and poor solubility, which hinder their processability. We propose that the lack of solution processability represents the most significant challenge hindering the application of COFs across various fields. Recognizing the importance of this issue and aiming to highlight the challenges in this direction, we have summarized the available data and previous attempts made to address these limitations. This review provides an insightful analysis of the current issues and future challenges, while also proposing strategies to overcome these challenges. The review not only summarizes all the relevant issues but also aims to inspire researchers to investigate these challenges in greater detail.