Chinese Journal of Catalysis ›› 2026, Vol. 89: 142-176.DOI: 10.1016/S1872-2067(26)65055-3

• Review • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Multiscale engineering of COFs toward practical photocatalysis: From heterojunction design to membrane fabrication

Zixian Guoa, Youhang Hea, Mingfei Yua, Liuyi Lia,*(), Jinhong Bib,*(), Yan Yua, Ling Wuc,*()   

  1. aKey Laboratory of Eco-materials Advanced Technology, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108, Fujian, China
    bCollege of Environment and Safety Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108, Fujian, China
    cState Key Laboratory of Photocatalysis on Energy and Environment, College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350116, Fujian, China
  • Received:2026-02-01 Accepted:2026-02-27 Online:2026-10-18 Published:2026-09-01
  • Contact: *E-mail:lyli@fzu.edu.cn(L. Li),bijinhong@fzu.edu.cn(J. Bi),wuling@fzu.edu.cn(L. Wu).
  • About author:Liuyi Li (College of Materials Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University) received his M.S. degree in Organic Chemistry from Huazhong University of Science and Technology in 2007 and his Ph.D. degree in Environmental Chemistry from Fuzhou University in 2017. He has been working at Fuzhou University since 2017, and was promoted to a full professor in 2021. His research interests currently focus on the rational design of covalent organic frameworks for photocatalysis, with emphasis on CO2 reduction and water splitting
    Jinhong Bi (College of Environment and Safety Engineering, Fuzhou University) received her Ph.D. degree from Fuzhou University in 2009. From 2012 to 2017, she served as an associate professor at Fuzhou University, and was exceptionally promoted to a full professorship in 2017. Her research interests currently focus on pollution control technology and resource utilization, with emphasis on photocatalytic CO2 reduction, removal of emerging contaminants, and water disinfection.
    Ling Wu (College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University) received his M.Sc. degree from Dalian University of Technology in 1985 and his Ph.D. degree from The Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2004. From 1987 to 2001, he held the position of Deputy Director of the Office of Science and Technology and served as an Associate Researcher at the Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences. In 2004, he joined the faculty of Fuzhou University. Currently, he is a professor at the State Key Laboratory of Photocatalysis on Energy and Environment. His research interests focus on heterogeneous photocatalysis, with emphasis on the controllable preparation of 2D transition metal oxides, activation of organic molecules on ultrathin nanosheets, and MOFs-based biomimetic nitrogen fixation.
  • Supported by:
    National Key Research and Development Program of China(2020YFA0710303);National Natural Science Foundation of China(52172188);Fujian Provincial Natural Science Foundation(2025J01471)

Abstract:

Transitioning covalent organic frameworks (COFs) from laboratory-scale photocatalysts to practical technologies requires overcoming two fundamental bottlenecks: rapid charge recombination at the microscopic level and mass transfer limitations coupled with the engineering challenges of particulate suspensions at the macroscopic level. This review presents a multiscale engineering strategy to bridge this gap, progressing from heterojunction design to membrane fabrication. We first provide a systematic assessment of COF-based heterostructures, incorporating metals, metal oxides, and inorganic semiconductors, to elucidate the structure-activity relationships governing excitonic dynamics. Special emphasis is placed on S-scheme COF-based heterojunctions, highlighting their superior capability in facilitating interfacial charge transfer while preserving high redox potentials. Subsequently, the focus shifts to the engineering of COF membranes via techniques such as interfacial polymerization and in-situ growth, emphasizing their structural merits in macroscopic processability. Critically, we propose the integration of heterojunction concepts into membrane architectures as a pivotal strategy to resolve the inherent trade-offs between the aggregation of powder catalysts and the limited semiconductor properties of traditional polymer membranes. By analyzing recent advances in heterostructured COF membranes, we highlight how this synergistic approach simultaneously enhances charge separation efficiency, substrate flux, and operational stability. We further discuss the application of these heterojunction and membrane systems in key photocatalytic processes, including H2 production, CO2 reduction, H2O2 production, and pollutant degradation. The review concludes by outlining a roadmap for overcoming scalability hurdles, offering a blueprint for the development of efficient, robust, and industrially relevant COF photocatalytic systems.

Key words: Covalent organic frameworks, S-Scheme Heterojunction, Membrane, Photocatalysis, Engineering