Large-Scale Nanofiber Manufacturing| Scalable Fabrication of lonic-Conductive Covalent OrganicFramework Fibers for Capturing of Sustainable OsmoticEnergy

Adv. Mater. (IF 27.4): First Fabrication of Ionic Conductive, Pure Covalent Organic Framework Fibers for Green Osmotic Energy Harvesting

Challenge: High-performance covalent organic framework (COF) fibers offer excellent durability, easy integration, and scalability for efficient blue energy capture. However, large-scale production remains challenging due to COFs' poor solubility and structural fragility.

Approach: A collaboration between Academician Zhu Meifang (Donghua University), Prof. Jiang Yi (Donghua University/China University of Geosciences), Prof. Xia Fan, and Dr. Ma Qun successfully scaled up the production of two types of liquid crystalline COFs into freestanding fibers via wet-spinning.

Innovation 1: When used for osmotic energy harvesting, one COF fiber achieved a high power density of 70.2 W m⁻² under a 50-fold NaCl gradient, outperforming most reported 2D nanomaterial-based systems (COFs, GO, etc.), demonstrating exceptional osmotic energy capture potential.

Innovation 2: These COF fibers can be bundled to enhance durability, voltage, and current output. Their flexibility, durability, ionic conductivity, and reusability make them promising for human-machine interfaces and other applications.