Recent advances in AIEgen-based luminescent metal-organic frameworks and covalent organic frameworks

AIEgens have evoked an immense amount of interest and progressed significantly since the first report of the aggregation-induced emission (AIE) concept in 2001. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are porous crystalline solids that allow molecular building units to be aligned based on strong interactions and bonding in a well-defined manner, offering possibilities to introduce functionalities and complexities within their backbones. Introducing AIEgens to construct such crystalline solids, in which the AIEgens are stitched together by covalent or coordinate bonds and placed in specific geometric and spatial arrangements, provides a powerful platform for the investigation of the underlying AIE mechanisms and the design of highly emissive porous materials. This mini review will give a brief introduction to AIEgen-based MOFs and COFs and focus on their photoluminescence properties and potential applications. We will discuss how the AIEgens are rigidified in these crystalline solids and review how such a concept can be utilized to remarkably improve the performance of the corresponding optoelectronics and sensors.