Metal-organic frameworks for environmental applications

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are porous materials consisting of metal nodes and organic linkers that organize themselves into rigid crystal structures. The inclusion of redox-sensitive metals and light-harvesting organic linkers in the structure could make MOFs powerful photocatalysts to break down recalcitrant organic pollutants. However, broad applications of MOFs in environmental settings require the overcoming of several technical hurdles. In this review, we provide key technical insights into the enhancement of the environmental stability and photocatalytic activity of MOFs in different environmental settings. We also identified several key challenges the scientific community needs to further explore to advance the applications of MOFs for environmental cleanup.