Outstanding performance of thiophene-based metal-organic frameworks for fluoride capture from wastewater

•Novel thiophene-based MOFs were synthesized and used for efficient defluorination.•TDC-MOFs exhibited high pH-independent defluorination performance in a wide pH range.•TDC-MOFs displayed excellent adsorptive capacity, selectivity, renewability for fluoride removal.•Formation of an internal complex following ligand exchange is the primary fluoride removal mechanism.•TDC-MOFs are potential adsorbents for remediation water containing fluoride contaminants.