Covalent organic frameworks: An emerging class of piezoelectric materials for mechanical energy transfer application

Piezoelectric materials can efficiently convert widely available mechanical energy to usable electrical energy or chemical energy, which represent a type of promising sustainable materials and is worth being extensively explored. Covalent organic frameworks (COFs), with their finely tunable structures and properties, have emerged as exciting materials for piezoelectric applications. This review aims to discuss the strategy for enhanced piezoelectric properties of COFs and the applications of COFs in the piezoelectric field, including piezocatalysis and piezoelectric nanogenerators. Then, the effect of pressure on the structure of COFs is introduced, which may provide new perspectives for the design of COFs in piezoelectricity. The review concludes that COFs offer a versatile platform for developing advanced piezoelectric materials, with potential in wide range of applications. The insights provided in this review are hoped to guide the direction of future research in the field of COF-based piezoelectric materials.