Metal-Organic Frameworks as Photocatalysts for Solar-Driven Overall Water Splitting

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been frequently used as photocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) using sacrificial agents with UV-vis or visible light irradiation. The aim of the present review is to summarize the use of MOFs as solar-driven photocatalysts targeting to overcome the current efficiency limitations in overall water splitting (OWS). Initially, the fundamentals of the photocatalytic OWS under solar irradiation are presented. Then, the different strategies that can be implemented on MOFs to adapt them for solar photocatalysis for OWS are discussed in detail. Later, the most active MOFs reported until now for the solar-driven HER and/or oxygen evolution reaction (OER) are critically commented. These studies are taken as precedents for the discussion of the existing studies on the use of MOFs as photocatalysts for the OWS under visible or sunlight irradiation. The requirements to be met to use MOFs at large scale for the solar-driven OWS are also discussed. The last section of this review provides a summary of the current state of the field and comments on future prospects that could bring MOFs closer to commercial application.

Automated summary

This review summarizes the application of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as photocatalysts to overcome efficiency limitations in overall water splitting. It provides an introduction to the principles of solar-driven photocatalytic overall water splitting and discusses different strategies for adapting MOFs for this purpose. The review also critically comments on the most active MOFs reported for solar-driven hydrogen evolution and oxygen evolution reactions, and discusses the requirements for large-scale use of MOFs in solar-driven overall water splitting. Finally, it provides a summary of the current state of the field and comments on future prospects for commercial application of MOFs.