MOF-based materials for electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide

The overuse of fossil fuels in recent years has resulted in exceedingly high carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the air, exacerbating the severe greenhouse effect. It is urgent for scientists to find ways to reduce CO2 levels and transfer this overfull CO2 into useful chemical products. Electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR), as an efficient and clean way to reduce CO2 concentration, can convert CO2 into small molecules. However, the single material structure and small specific surface area of most catalysts limit their practical applications. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and their derivatives are regarded as promising electrocatalysts for the CO2RR because of their high specific surface area, high porosity, tunable pore structure, ligand designability, and easy modification. This review covers MOF-based catalysts for CO2RR, such as MOF, MOF-derived materials, and MOF composites.