Application, challenges, and opportunities of organic metal frameworks materials in oil-water separation

As environmental concerns have escalated in severity, the development of effective oil-water separation technologies has become imperative. Conventional methods often prove inadequate in meeting these demands due to their substantial energy consumption, low efficiency, and the potential for inducing secondary pollution. Metal-organic skeleton materials (MOFs) have demonstrated considerable advantages in oil-water separation, owing to their ultra-high specific surface area, adjustable pore size, and surface chemistry. However, challenges persist, including the mismatch between the intrinsic properties of the materials and the treatment needs of complex water environments, as well as defects in the mechanical properties of the materials. This paper undertakes a systematic review of the latest research progress on three typical MOFs materials, namely ZIFs, UiOs, and MILs, and their composites, in the field of oil-water separation. The review focuses on two main areas: (1) modification strategies for MOFs materials, including hydrophilic and hydrophobic functionalization methods, (2) preparation techniques for composites, which are based on three major types of carrier materials: polymer substrates, adsorbent substrates, and metal mesh substrates. Finally, based on the limitations of the existing research, the future development direction of MOFs oil-water separation materials is proposed.