Metal-organic framework as light harvesting for photoelectrochemical water splitting: from fundamental to recent progress

Abstract

Recently, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as a group of light-harvesting materials with regular two- to three-dimensional buildings, and at the same time, special properties such as mesomicroporosity, high specific surface area, great durability, and tunability had attracted a lot of attention in various fields from catalyst to photocatalyst in different reactions. However, due to the significance of clean energy production by sunlight and the favorable and acceptable performance of these compounds in photoelectrochemical (PEC) processes such as fuel cells, carbon dioxide reduction, PEC water splitting (PECWS), and oxidation of water, these compounds are good candidates for such reactions. This chapter specifically discusses how these materials act as light harvesting in PEC reactions, especially PEC oxidation of water. In this chapter, the following questions will be answered. (1) How light is absorbed in MOF? (2) How electron transitions and excited states are in MOF? (3) What parameters are effective in optimizing MOF as a light harvester? (4) How is the design of PEC cells by MOF? (5) What is the splitting of water by light-absorbing MOF? (6) How many categories are photoelectrodes based on the MOFs divided into? How does each one work? (7) What is the role of light-harvesting MOF in oxygen and hydrogen production reactions? And finally, (8) what are the latest designs for using MOF as a light harvester in PECWS? It will be hoped that by answering these questions in this chapter, a clear path is provided for researchers in this field to better understand the light harvesting in MOFs in PEC reactions. © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.