Highly efficient triiodide ion adsorption from water by ionic liquid hybrid metal–organic frameworks

•Hydrophobic ionic liquids (ILs) and water stable MOFs were used to construct IL hybrid MOF materals.•IL was highly dispersed in the nanopores of MOFs to expose significantly more active adsorption sites.•IL@MOF hybrid materals exhibit a record I3− absorption capacity due to high dispersion of IL in MOF nanopores.•Multiple sites cooperative interactions of I3− with highly dispersed IL is the key driven force for the adsorption.