Ionic liquid-functionalized metal-organic frameworks: Synergistic architectures for sustainable energy and environmental engineering

The integration of ionic liquids (ILs) into metal-organic framework (MOF) architectures bridges crystalline precision and ionic versatility, driving high-performance functionality in sustainable energy and environmental technologies. This review critically evaluates recent advances in IL@MOF composites, emphasizing how guest confinement optimizes catalytic active sites and electrochemical interfaces. In catalytic valorization, these systems achieve exceptional efficiencies with reaction yields ranging from 75% to over 99%. For environmental remediation, they exhibit robust sequestration capacities from 10 mg g −1 to more than 670 mg g −1 . In electrochemical applications, they enable energy densities between 100 and 150 Wh kg −1 alongside ionic conductivities from 10 −4 to 10 −2 S cm −1 . Furthermore, in molecular separation, they maintain impressive selectivities spanning from 30 to over 110. Addressing current hurdles in structural stability, synthetic sustainability, and industrial scalability, this work outlines future trajectories centered on predictive computational modeling and green manufacturing protocols to unlock the full potential of these advanced hybrid materials.