Emerging porous nanosheets: From fundamental synthesis to promising applications

Metal-organic framework (MOF) nanosheets and covalent organic framework (COF) nanosheets as emerging porous materials nanosheets have captured increasing attention owing to their attractive properties originating from the advantages of large lateral size, ultrathin thickness, tailorable physiochemical environment, flexibility and highly accessible active sites on surface, and the applications of them have been explored in a wide range of fields. Although MOF and COF nanosheets own many similar properties, their applications in various fields show significant differences, probably due to their different compositions and bonding modes. Hence, we summarize the recent progress of MOF and COF nanosheets by comparative analysis on their advantages and limitations in synthesis and applications, providing a more profound and full-scale perspective for researchers or beginners to understand this field. Herein, the categories of preparation methods of MOF and COF nanosheets are firstly discussed, including top-down and bottom-up methods. Secondly, the applications of MOF and COF nanosheets for separation, catalysis, sensing and energy storage are summarized. Finally, based on current achievements, we put forward our personal insights into the challenges and outlooks on the synthesis, characterizations, and promising applications for future research of MOF and COF nanosheets.