Photocatalysis by Metal–Organic Frameworks (MOFs): An Overview

Abstract

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are porous crystalline materials with sequential unique characteristics, such as wide surface vicinity, high content of transition metals, porosity, and tunable physical properties after synthesis, and this makes itself in the group of heterogeneous catalysts. The MOFs composites tagged with featured metals and nanoparticles consist of eminent prospects in many applications such as photocatalytic reduction of harmful oxides of nitrogen and carbon, H2 generation, and environmental debris treatment. Furthermore, various strategies have been designed to amend the MOFs for photocatalytic performance enhancements, such as the mixed-metal/linker approach, metal ion/ligand immobilization approach, loading metal nanoparticles, and magnetic recycling. In addition, light-mediated catalysis, viz photothermal catalysis, and photocatalysis, show vital efforts in the conversion of solar energy to chemical/thermal energy through the interaction of light with matter. This catalytic effort and the interrelated recent researches against the challenge of insufficient solar light utilization have been presented here briefly in a few headings. The work toward obtaining a stable technology, low-cost applications, and future development on account are also presented. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2022.