Review: Synthesis and Catalytic Application of MOF Complexes Containing Noble Metals

Noble metal catalysts excel in many applications due to their high chemical stability and unique plasmonic and catalytic properties. However, noble metals in the form of nanoparticles tend to aggregate easily and have high costs, which limit their actual applications. Developing catalysts with minimal noble metal usage and optimal activity is urgently needed. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are composed of organic ligands and metal ions/clusters via coordination bonds, which inherently possess structural diversity, high specific surface area, and other important properties. With the rapid development of MOFs and MOF-based composite materials, they have been used to design and synthesize nanostructures and nanomaterials with high catalytic activity. The preparation, characterization, and application of MOF-based composite materials combining noble metals have attracted significant interest. Incorporation of noble metal nanoparticles into MOF structures is an effective method to eliminate the agglomeration problems of noble metals and the instability of MOFs. By utilization of the synergistic effects and properties of metal nanoparticles and MOFs, composite materials exhibit enhanced catalytic performance over each component. This review focuses on the synthesis strategies and catalytic performance studies of noble metal catalysts supported on MOFs.