The effective capture and storage of volatile molecular iodine from nuclear waste is of great significance. Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are a class of extended crystalline porous polymers that possess unique architectures with high surface areas, long-range order, and permanent porosity. Substantial efforts have been devoted to the design and synthesis of COF materials for the capture of radioactive iodine. In this review, we first introduce research techniques for determining the mechanism of iodine capture by COF materials. Then, the influencing factors of iodine capture performance are classified, and the design principles and strategies for constructing COFs with potential for iodine capture are summarized on this basis. Finally, our personal insights on remaining challenges and future trends are outlined, in order to bring more inspiration to this hot topic of research.

Three new cadmium coordination polymers, namely [Cd(NO₃)₂(DPNDI)(CH₃OH)]·CH₃OH (1), [Cd(SCN)₂(DPNDI)] (2), and [Cd(DPNDI)₂(DMF)₂]·2ClO₄ (3) (DPNDI = N,N-di(4-pyridyl)-1,4,5,8-naphthalene diimide, DMF = N,N-dimethylformamide) have been synthesized by reactions of DPNDI with Cd(NO₃)₂, Cd(SCN)₂, and Cd(ClO₄)₂, respectively. Compound 1 is a one-dimensional coordination polymer with strong lone pair-π interactions between the coordinated NO₃⁻ anions and the imide ring of DPNDI; while 2 is a two-dimensional network with a (4, 4) net topology. In the case of 3, due to the presence of uncoordinated perchlorate counter ions, it exhibits a non-interpenetrated square-grid coordination polymer containing one-dimensional rhomboid channels. The structural diversity in these compounds is attributed to different coordination abilities and geometries of counter anions. Due to the presence of electron-deficient NDI moiety, the photochromic behavior of these compounds was studied. Interestingly, only compounds 1 and 3 exhibit color changes under light irradiation. The influence of the anions on the photochromism process of the NDI-based materials has been discussed.