From Lab to Plant: Metrics‐Driven Scale‐Up Routes and Application Deployment of Covalent Organic Frameworks

Comprehensive Summary

The transition of Covalent Organic Frameworks (COFs) from laboratory‐scale curiosities to industrially scalable technologies has been constrained by challenges in cost‐effective, large‐scale synthesis. Most COF research has focused on small‐scale production, whereas practical applications require processes that scale to kilogram‐ and ton‐level manufacturing. Recent advances, including solvent‐free melting polycondensation, mechanochemical synthesis, mild aqueous methods, and continuous flow techniques, are overcoming these obstacles, making large‐scale COF production increasingly viable. This review introduces the principles for scalable COF manufacturing, emphasizing quality control, synthetic efficiency, sustainability, and economic feasibility. We provide a comprehensive over‐view of the latest synthetic strategies that enable the high‐quality production of COFs at scale. We also highlight the applications of large‐scale COFs in environmental remediation, gas and liquid separations, catalysis, CO ₂ capture, and energy storage, emphasizing the impact of scalability on real‐world deployment. Finally, we discuss the future industrialization of COFs, focusing on expanding chemistry diversity, enhancing processing techniques, and improving device integration, ultimately paving the way for COF‐based technologies to transition from lab‐scale discoveries to industrial realities.

Key Scientists