Recent advances of metal-organic frameworks and their composites toward oxygen evolution electrocatalysis

Electrolyzed water technology for environmentally friendly hydrogen production and rechargeable metal-air batteries has become a research hotspot in the scientific research community to solve the energy crisis and environmental pollution. The key step in these energy conversion processes is the typical four-electron involved oxygen evolution reaction (OER) with intrinsically sluggish kinetics, urgently needed to accelerate. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have the characteristics of strict topology, homogenous dispersed metal ions or metal ion cluster, and ultra-high specific surface area for providing abundant active sites for OER electrocatalysis. In this review, the recent progresses of MOFs and MOF-based composites for OER electrocatalysis are presented. Materials design strategies, including metal ion doping, ligand modification, two-dimensional morphology, and the active center optimization of MOF electrocatalysts are firstly summarized to enhance the catalytic activity. This highlight will then focus on the MOF-based heterostructural catalyst hybrid with hydroxide/oxide, sulfide, and noble metal units. This review will also figure out the correlation between microstructure and electrocatalytic performance and provide the new insight to increase the active sites number and enhance the intrinsic activity of MOFs and MOF-based electrocatalysts. Lastly, some scientific challenges and outlooks are also proposed to promote the next-generation advanced MOFs and MOF-based electrocatalysts for electrochemical energy conversion devices.