MOF based nanocomposites for photocatalytic degradation of pollutants in water: A critical review

Metal-organic framework (MOF) based nanocomposites have a wide range of applications; however, research output indicates that MOF based nanocomposites have attracted great attention in the area of water treatment, particularly photodegradation of water pollutants. This comes as a result of high water pollution, water scarcity, poor drinking water quality and the emerging of tenacious micropollutants found in water bodies. Majority of water pollutants can be treated via photocatalytic processes and MOF is a remarkable modifying and support material for photocatalytic nanomaterials. MOF have tremendous physicochemical properties which provide opportunities for unique fabrication and modification of photocatalytic nanocomposites with enhanced efficiency, recovery, recyclability and reusability in water treatment. In this review, MOF-based nanocomposites, fabrication techniques, classifications, mechanisms as well as challenges and future prospects for the photocatalytic degradation of pollutants in water are investigated and discussed.