Metal oxide integrated metal organic frameworks (MO@MOF): rational design, fabrication strategy, characterization and emerging photocatalytic applications

Abstract

Metal organic framework (MOF) based semiconductor composites enhance the synergistic physio-chemical properties of pristine semiconducting materials. In general, MOFs are perceived as an attractive candidate for constructing new composite materials because of their facile synthesis, tuneable porosity, high surface area, populous active sites and surface functional groups. As such, many researchers have infused pure MOFs with other classes of materials such as supplementary MOFs, carbonaceous materials, oxides, metal NPs, quantum dots, polymers etc. to fabricate distinctive constructs with synergetic properties. Considering the accelerating development occurring in the field of 3D reticulated hybrid materials towards photocatalysis, it is quite essential to summarize and explore their vast possibilities. In this regard, we aim at performing an analysis of metal oxide integrated MOFs (MO@MOF) towards photocatalytic applications. Many researchers have been tempted to improve the functionalities of pristine MOFs by composite formation with metal oxides (such as UiO-66@WO₃, Bi₂O₃@HKUST-1, ZnO@ZIF-8, Fe₃O₄@MIL-100 (Fe) etc.) and have reported its applications towards diverse areas of photo-catalysis. In this context, we have presented a holistic summarization focusing on the rational design, fabrication strategy, characterization aspects and underlying mechanistic charge dynamics of photocatalytic applications with metal oxide integrated metal organic frameworks.