MOF-Based Hybrids for Solar Fuel Production

Solar fuel production, water splitting, and CO₂ reduction by sunlight-assisted catalytic reactions, are attractive and environmentally sustainable approaches used to generate energy. Since many different parameters, including energy band structures, electronic conductivity, surface area, porosity, catalytic activity, and stability of photocatalytic materials, determine the photocatalytic reaction, a single photocatalytic material is often insufficient to fulfill all the requirements. Hybridization to complement the limitations of two or more component materials can provide a viable solution. Particularly, hybridization with metal organic frameworks (MOFs), a new class of materials with excellent controllability of topology, surface area, porosity, morphology, band structure, electrical conductivity, and composition, enables the on-demand design of a myriad of high-performance photocatalysts. Moreover, hybrids formed by MOF-derived materials inherit the distinctive merits from the MOF and offer further diversification for hybrid photocatalysts. Here, the rational design of MOF-based hybrid photocatalysts for solar fuel production is discussed. The synthetic strategies of diverse MOF-based hybrids, the key physicochemical parameters of hybrids to determine photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical reactions, and the mechanisms underlying the synergistic enhancement of solar fuel production are reviewed. Moreover, remaining challenges and future perspectives are addressed.