Conductive metal and covalent organic frameworks for electrocatalysis: design principles, recent progress and perspective

Abstract

Metal and covalent organic frameworks (MOFs/COFs) are emerging promising candidates in the field of catalysts due to their porous nature, chemically well-defined active sites and structural diversity. However, they are typically provided with poor electrical conductivity, which is insufficient for them to work as satisfying electrocatalysts. Designing and fabricating MOFs/COFs with high conductivity presents a new avenue towards special electrochemical reactions. This minireview firstly highlighted the origin and design principles of conductive MOFs/COFs for electrocatalysis on the basis of typical charge transfer mechanisms, that is “through space”, “extended conjugation” and “through bond”. An overview of conductive MOFs/COFs used in the electrocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO₂RR), water splitting and the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) was then made to track the very recent progress. In the final remarks, the present challenges and perspectives for the use of conductive MOFs/COFs as electrocatalysts including their structural optimization, feasible applications and structure–activity correlation are proposed.