Progressive innovations in metal–organic frameworks: tailored materials, fabrication strategies, and versatile applications

Abstract Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and porous coordination polymers (PCPs) are types of flexible materials that consist of a metal node bonded together by organic ligands. Because of their exceptionally flexible architectures and porosity, they are useful for gas storage, catalysis, separation, drug delivery, and environmental protection. Numerous synthesis strategies, such as solvothermal/hydrothermal, sonochemical, electrochemical, mechanochemical, and microwave-assisted techniques, aid in improving their structural and functional characteristics. Recent advances in MOF research have mainly focused on enhancing the efficiency of synthesis, implementing functional modifications, and scalability. This review provides an extensive analysis of several structures and identifies the most efficient methods of their synthesis, along with applying them to relevant problems such as gas separation, catalysis, and carbon dioxide collection. Their increased application in environmental and energy industries illustrates the role these materials play in sustainable development.