A review on UiO-66 applications in membrane-based water treatment processes

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a modern class of materials that got great academic attention over the last two decades. Recently, serious attempts were conscripted to scale up several types of them and involve industrial applications. UiO-66 is a zirconium-based MOF that was synthesized in 2008 and widely applied in many fields since then. As researchers investigated UiO-66 applications, this material continuously showed high performance and remarkable properties, which increased the interest for further exploitation. In water treatment, where many MOFs are utilized in various processes, UiO-66 is among the intensively applied ones mainly due to its high-water stability. However, the UiO-66's stability is not limited to water; it is stable in organics and acids, in addition to its high thermal stability. Moreover, UiO-66 has the general MOF properties of large surface area, proper pore diameter, large pore volume, functional surface, etc. In this review, we will focus on the use of UiO-66 in membrane-based water treatment processes. These processes include ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, forward osmosis, and reverse osmosis, which are used for dyes, heavy metals, proteins, and antibiotics removal, as well as desalination. Based on database information, UiO-66 use in water treatment is constantly increasing due to the promising opportunities this material raises. Here, it became necessary to explain the up-to-date progress in the membranes field and explore the available future aspects and aspirations of UiO-66.