About this Research Topic
Utilization of the solar light for clean energy conversion has been well accepted as one of the promising technologies and strategies to overcome the energy crisis. Amongst a variety of materials developed as photocatalysts, metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have attracted high attention due to the highly porous structure and the adjustability in both structure and functionality. These materials have been applied in particular for photocatalytic CO2 reduction to address the greenhouse effect and energy shortage, photocatalytic water splitting and H2 evolution, and photocatalytic organic redox transformations for certain chemicals demand in industry. Apart from the pristine MOFs, a range of strategies have been developed to obtain MOF-based materials as photocatalyst to boost the catalytic activity.
To boost the photocatalytic efficiency, a variety of MOF-based composites has been exploited based on various strategies as summarized in two main groups, band gap engineering and morphology construction. Band gap engineering is achieved via (1) linker functionalization; (2) doping noble nanoparticles (Pt, Au, Ag, etc) into MOFs or COFs; (3) atomically dispersed metal sites (ADMSs) into the framework; (4) anchoring a photosensitizer for light harvesting; (5) constructing Z-Scheme or heterojunctions; (6) multiple components system. Morphology control is achieved via (1) shape or size control of the MOF or COF nanocrystals; (2) surface modification. Although photocatalytic efficiency is thus boosted, it is still at infant state, and the understanding of the photocatalytic mechanisms is very limited.
Moreover, the specific role of channel types/pore size of MOF has not been explored in depth, especially for those reactions related with selectively and stereoisomerism. Furthermore, few attentions have been paid to the confined catalysis of host–guest interaction between the adsorbed guest molecules and MOF frameworks. Last but not least, the main challenge of MOF-based photocatalysts relates to the economic feasibility and to the poor stability, which are required to be taken into consideration and to be solved.
To get a scientific and comprehensive understanding of using MOF as photocatalyst, this Research Topic welcomes papers addressing recent progress in photocatalytic CO2 reduction, H2 evolution or organic redox transformations. We aim to explore the fundamental mechanism and promising strategies with new breakthroughs.
We welcome Original Research, Review, Mini Review and Perspective articles on themes including, but not limited to:
• New MOFs as photocatalysts or known MOFs with novel photocatalytic performance
• Defects-controlled multivariate structures
• Replacing the sacrificial agent with a real medium
• Mechanism study of the impact of host–guest interactions
• The flexibility of MOFs on catalytic activity and selectivity
• Loaded single atom catalysis in the MOF frameworks
To boost the photocatalytic efficiency, a variety of MOF-based composites has been exploited based on various strategies as summarized in two main groups, band gap engineering and morphology construction. Band gap engineering is achieved via (1) linker functionalization; (2) doping noble nanoparticles (Pt, Au, Ag, etc) into MOFs or COFs; (3) atomically dispersed metal sites (ADMSs) into the framework; (4) anchoring a photosensitizer for light harvesting; (5) constructing Z-Scheme or heterojunctions; (6) multiple components system. Morphology control is achieved via (1) shape or size control of the MOF or COF nanocrystals; (2) surface modification. Although photocatalytic efficiency is thus boosted, it is still at infant state, and the understanding of the photocatalytic mechanisms is very limited.
Moreover, the specific role of channel types/pore size of MOF has not been explored in depth, especially for those reactions related with selectively and stereoisomerism. Furthermore, few attentions have been paid to the confined catalysis of host–guest interaction between the adsorbed guest molecules and MOF frameworks. Last but not least, the main challenge of MOF-based photocatalysts relates to the economic feasibility and to the poor stability, which are required to be taken into consideration and to be solved.
To get a scientific and comprehensive understanding of using MOF as photocatalyst, this Research Topic welcomes papers addressing recent progress in photocatalytic CO2 reduction, H2 evolution or organic redox transformations. We aim to explore the fundamental mechanism and promising strategies with new breakthroughs.
We welcome Original Research, Review, Mini Review and Perspective articles on themes including, but not limited to:
• New MOFs as photocatalysts or known MOFs with novel photocatalytic performance
• Defects-controlled multivariate structures
• Replacing the sacrificial agent with a real medium
• Mechanism study of the impact of host–guest interactions
• The flexibility of MOFs on catalytic activity and selectivity
• Loaded single atom catalysis in the MOF frameworks
Keywords: MOF, photocatalysis, CO2 reduction, H2 revolution, photo-redox transformation
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
