Applications of Metal–Organic Frameworks and Their Derivatives in Electrochemical CO2 Reduction

Abstract

Electrochemically reducing CO2 to more reduced chemical species is a promising way that not only enables the conversion of intermittent energy resources to stable fuels, but also helps to build a closed-loop anthropogenic carbon cycle. Among various electrocatalysts for electrochemical CO2 reduction, multifunctional metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have been employed as highly efficient and selective heterogeneous electrocatalysts due to their ultrahigh porosity and topologically diverse structures. Up to now, great progress has been achieved in the design and synthesis of highly active and selective MOF-related catalysts for electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR), and their corresponding reaction mechanisms have been thoroughly studied. In this review, we summarize the recent progress of applying MOFs and their derivatives in CO2RR, with a focus on the design strategies for electrocatalysts and electrolyzers. We first discussed the reaction mechanisms for different CO2RR products and introduced the commonly applied electrolyzer configurations in the current CO2RR system. Then, an overview of several categories of products (CO, HCOOH, CH4, CH3OH, and multi-carbon chemicals) generated from MOFs or their derivatives via CO2RR was discussed. Finally, we offer some insights and perspectives for the future development of MOFs and their derivatives in electrochemical CO2 reduction. We aim to provide new insights into this field and further guide future research for large-scale applications.

Application of MOF-derived materials as electrocatalysts for CO2 conversion

“…This opens up possibilities for optimizing CO 2 reduction electrocatalysts and providing a pathway toward optimizing CO 2 reduction electrocatalysts for industrial-scale production. 152–154 In this review, the synthesis strategies of main MOF derivatives including pyrolysis, precursor regulation, and post-modification as well as other synthetic strategies are summarized, and some classic examples are listed, which is helpful to understand the synthesis methods of different types of MOF-derived materials and to select suitable synthesis routes in future research. Then, we discuss the application of MOF-derived materials in the electroreduction of CO 2 according to the classification of reduction products, in which most of the reduction products of MOF-derived electrocatalysts are CO and/or HCOOH with high faradaic efficiency.…”

Engineering organic polymers as emerging sustainable materials for powerful electrocatalysts

“…264 Incorporating molecular catalysts into structured materials with a periodic structure and rich porosity through polymerization has emerged as a preferred strategy to fully solve the aggregation and stability issues at the molecular level. 264,265 Intriguingly, the microenvironments surrounding the polymers may provide chemical protection to the embedded catalysts and enhance charge transfer to redox-active sites. 266 Selecting hydrophobic polymers can help prevent the competitive HER, while conductive polymers with appropriate functional groups can sometimes enhance electron transport and boost the activity of the CO 2 RR.…”

Ultrasensitive Eu-Based MOF Luminescence Sensor for Clenbuterol Visible Recognition

“…Metal−organic frameworks (MOFs) as crystalline functional materials assembled by metal ions and organic ligands have aroused widespread concern among scientists due to their adjustable structures, 23,24 promising properties, and diversified functions, including but not limited to magnetism, 25 gas separation/absorption, 26 chemical sensing, 27 heterogeneous catalysis, 28 etc. 29,30 Especially for luminescence detection, lanthanide-based organic frameworks (Ln-MOFs) as probes have always been popular in the optical field for contaminant recognition on the base of the long luminescence lifetime, high color purity, and large stokes' shifts deriving from the f−f transitions by an "antenna effect."…”

“…Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) as crystalline functional materials assembled by metal ions and organic ligands have aroused widespread concern among scientists due to their adjustable structures, , promising properties, and diversified functions, including but not limited to magnetism, gas separation/absorption, chemical sensing, heterogeneous catalysis, etc. , Especially for luminescence detection, lanthanide-based organic frameworks (Ln-MOFs) as probes have always been popular in the optical field for contaminant recognition on the base of the long luminescence lifetime, high color purity, and large stokes’ shifts deriving from the f–f transitions by an “antenna effect.” − To date, several MOFs have been reported for removing CLB, while very few can be applied to CLB luminescence sensing. − For example, the Li group employed a classical Zr-based MOF (UiO-66 material) as a CLB luminescence probe, presenting a detection limit of 0.17 μM . To the best of our knowledge, there is no report about an Ln-MOF luminescence sensor of CLB.…”