Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) and their derivatives have delivered perfect answers in detection, separation, solving water and electromagnetic pollution and improving catalysis and energy storage efficiency due to their advantages including their highly tunable porosity, structure and versatility. Recently, MOF/biomass, bio-MOFs and their derivatives have gradually become a shining star in the MOF family due to the improvement in the application performance of MOFs using biomass and biomolecules. However, current studies lack a systematic summary of the synthesis and advancements of MOF/biomass, bio-MOFs and their derivatives. In this review, we describe their research progress in detail from the following two aspects: (1) synthesis of MOF/biomass using biomass as a template to achieve good dispersion and connectivity at the same time; (2) preparing bio-MOFs by replacing traditional organic linkers with biomolecules to enhance the connection stability between metal ions/clusters and ligands and avoid the formation of toxic by-products. This enables MOFs to possess additional unique advantages, such as improved biocompatibility and mechanical strength, ideal reusability and stability and lower production costs. Most importantly, this is a further step towards green and sustainable development. Additionally, we showcase some typical application examples to show their great potential, including in the fields of environmental remediation, energy storage and electromagnetic wave absorption.

In an attempt to evaluate the effects of thermal treatment on wood cell walls (CWs), Masson pine (Pinus massoniana Lamb.) wood was thermally modified (TM) at 150, 170 and 190°C for 2, 4 and 6 h, respectively. The chemical properties, cellulose crystallinity (C _rI) and micromechanics of the control and thermally modified wood (TMW) were analyzed by wet chemical analysis, X-ray diffraction and nanoindentation. The relative lignin content and C _rI increased after the TM partly degraded the amorphous wood polymers. The relative lignin content was higher in TMW and the equilibrium moisture content decreased. Moreover, the elastic modulus (E _r) and hardness (H) of TMW were lowered along with the creep ratio decrement (C _IT) of CWs. However, a severe treatment (e.g. 190°C/6 h) may negatively affect the mechanical properties of CWs caused by the partial degradation of hemicelluloses and also cellulose.

To evaluate the effects of phenol formaldehyde (PF) resin modification on wood cell walls, Masson pine (Pinus massoniana Lamb.) wood was impregnated with PF resin at the concentrations of 15%, 20%, 25%, and 30%, respectively. The penetration degree of PF resin into wood tracheids was quantitatively determined using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). The micromechanical properties of the control and PF-modified wood cell walls were then analyzed by the method of quasi-static nanoindentation and dynamic modulus mapping techniques. Results indicated that PF resin with low molecular weight can penetrate deeply into the wood tissues and even into the cell walls. However, the penetration degree decreased accompanying with the increase of penetration depth in wood. Both the quasi-static and dynamic mechanics of wood cell walls increased significantly after modification by the PF resin at the concentration less than 20%. The cell-wall mechanics maintained stable and even decreased as the resin concentration was increased above 20%, resulting from the increasing bulking effects such as the decreased crystallinity degree of cellulose. Furthermore, the mechanics of cell walls in the inner layer was lower than that in the outer layer of PF-modified wood.

Bamboo is an ideal material as it is green, fast-growing, and easy to process. However, the low dimensional stability may limit the application of bamboo due to its richness in hydrophilic groups. Thus, an effective and environment-friendly modification is needed to solve the aforementioned problems. This study employed high-temperature hydrothermal treatment for the modification of bamboo to offer technical support to further promote the application of bamboo materials. Bamboo was heated at various temperatures (120–160 °C) for diverse durations (60–120 min), and the chemical composition, mechanical properties, dimensional stability, and surface color were studied. Results revealed that the parenchyma cells of bamboo were deformed and the parenchymal cell lumen without starch granules after treatment at 160 °C for 120 min. The cellulose and hemicellulose content of bamboo decreased, and the lignin content increased in relative terms as the temperature and time of high-temperature hydrothermal treatment continued to rise. The mechanical properties of bamboo declined after high temperature hydrothermal treatment, and the modulus of rupture (MOR) and modulus of elasticity (MOE) of bamboo at 160 °C for 120 min decreased by 47.11% and 16.14%, respectively, compared to untreated bamboo. The swelling test indicated that the dimensional stability of the bamboo was improved, and the swelling ratio of the bamboo was reduced through the high-temperature hydrothermal treatment. The tangential and radial swelling coefficients of bamboo were reduced by 53.28% and 53.59%, respectively, after treatment at 160 °C for 120 min compared to untreated bamboo. The bamboo surface color was darkened after heat treatment, which gives the bamboo better surface decorative properties.