Single- and mixed-metal–organic framework photocatalysts for carbon dioxide reduction

Abstract

The photocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide (CO₂) into high value-added chemical fuels is deemed an attractive way for working out the energy dilemma and ameliorating extreme CO₂ emission. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are inorganic–organic hybrid materials constructed from metal/metal cluster nodes and organic bridging linkers, which can be considered as desired photocatalysts in the field of CO₂ conversion owing to their superior CO₂ capture capacity, unique reticular structures and photoelectronic properties. Herein, recent progress in MOF-based photocatalysts for CO₂ reduction is discussed, mainly focusing on homometallic- and heterometallic-MOFs for photocatalytic CO₂ reduction. Varied strategies for improving the properties of MOF-based photocatalysts and the correlation between the structures and activity are highlighted, which will provide insight for the construction of highly efficient MOF-based photocatalysts for CO₂ conversion. The challenges of this field are mentioned, which will facilitate the development of MOFs for efficient CO₂ conversion.