Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) and ionic liquids
(ILs)
represent promising materials for adsorption separation. ILs incorporated
into MOF materials (denoted as IL/MOF composites) have been developed,
and IL/MOF composites combine the advantages of MOFs and ILs to achieve
enhanced performance in the adsorption-based separation of fluid mixtures.
The designed different ILs are introduced into the various MOFs to
tailor their functional properties, which affect the optimal adsorptive
separation performance. In this Perspective, the rational fabrication
of IL/MOF composites is presented, and their functional properties
are demonstrated. This paper provides a critical overview of an emergent
class of materials termed IL/MOF composites as well as the recent
advances in the applications of IL/MOF composites as adsorbents or
membranes in fluid separation. Furthermore, the applications of IL/MOF
in adsorptive gas separations (CO2 capture from flue gas,
natural gas purification, separation of acetylene and ethylene, indoor
pollutants removal) and liquid separations (separation of bioactive
components, organic-contaminant removal, adsorptive desulfurization,
radionuclide removal) are discussed. Finally, the existing challenges
of IL/MOF are highlighted, and an appropriate design strategy direction
for the effective exploration of new IL/MOF adsorptive materials is
proposed.