Hybrid Modification Strategies of Metal–Organic Frameworks: A Review on Structural Design and Environmental Applications

Abstract

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as a versatile class of crystalline porous materials. They are characterized by their high surface area, tunable pore size, and diverse chemical functionalities. These features enable their application across a wide range of fields, including catalysis, sensing, separation, and environmental remediation. To further enhance their functionality, MOFs are increasingly being integrated with other materials or molecular components to form hybrid frameworks, which combine the intrinsic advantages of MOFs with complementary properties of the secondary components. This review provides a comprehensive overview of synthesis, characterization, hybrid modification strategies of MOFs and their structural design. Furthermore, the review highlights the environmental applications of MOF-based hybrids, emphasizing their roles in pollutant removal and chemical sensing. Finally, potential future directions are explored, particularly the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning tools to accelerate the design, synthesis, and performance optimization of next-generation MOF hybrids for sustainable environmental applications. In addition, future research should focus on the development of green and sustainable synthesis routes, especially the utilization of biowaste and renewable resources as eco-friendly precursors for MOF fabrication.