Design and synthesis of covalent organic frameworks towards energy and environment fields

Abstract Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are burgeoning crystalline porous materials that are constituted with organic building units and covalent bonds. The pre-designable porous structures make a platform for solving energy and environmental problems. This article systematically presents the basic design principle of COFs and introduces the applications in energy and environment fields, for instance, gas storage, energy storage, photoconduction, and catalysis. We also discussed the gas storage conditions and the strategies to improve the hydrogen storage. Finally, we proposed a scheme for improving the storage capacity of lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries with COFs and the use of COFs to remove Hg in water, and as a catalyst to make rational use of solar energy.