Application of Metal-Organic Frameworks in Heterogeneous Catalysis

Over the past three decades, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have garnered significant attention as exceptional candidates for heterogeneous catalysis, distinguished by their ultra-high surface areas, well-defined active sites, and precisely tunable porous structures. Their inherent structural tunability permits the rational design and precise integration of active sites directly into the framework, encompassing both metal clusters and organic linkers. This adaptability further enables the construction of sophisticated MOF composites through the incorporation of diverse functional guests, as well as the use of MOFs as precursors for deriving advanced materials. Collectively, these strategies empower MOFs to demonstrate superior performance across a broad spectrum of catalytic reactions. This chapter gives a brief account focusing on recent progress in MOF-based heterogeneous catalysis, highlighting their pivotal role and emerging applications in thermocatalysis, electrocatalysis, and photocatalysis, thereby underscoring their potential as next-generation catalytic systems.