Porous Materials for Water Purification

Water pollution is a growing threat to humanity due to the pervasiveness of contaminants in water bodies. Significant efforts have been made to separate these hazardous components to purify polluted water through various methods. However, conventional remediation methods suffer from limitations such as low uptake capacity or selectivity, and current water quality standards cannot be met. Recently, advanced porous materials (APMs) have shown promise in improved segregation of contaminants compared to traditional porous materials in uptake capacity and selectivity. These materials feature merits of high surface area and versatile functionality, rendering them ideal platforms for the design of novel adsorbents. This Review summarizes the development and employment of APMs in a variety of water treatments accompanied by assessments of task-specific adsorption performance. Finally, we discuss our perspectives on future opportunities for APMs in water purification.

Automated summary

Water pollution poses a growing threat to humanity due to widespread contamination. Efforts have been made to purify polluted water by removing hazardous components, but conventional methods have limitations in uptake capacity and selectivity. Advanced porous materials (APMs) show promise in improving the segregation of contaminants, with their high surface area and versatility making them ideal for designing novel adsorbents. This review summarizes the development and application of APMs in various water treatments, along with assessments of adsorption performance. Future opportunities for APMs in water purification are also discussed.