MOF-derived multifractal porous carbon with ultrahigh lithium-ion storage performance

From metal-organic frameworks to porous carbon materials: recent progress and prospects from energy and environmental perspectives

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as promising materials in the areas of gas storage, magnetism, luminescence, and catalysis owing to their superior property of having highly crystalline structures. However, MOF stability toward heat or humidity is considerably less as compared to carbons because they are constructed from the assembly of ligands with metal ions or clusters via coordination bonds. Transforming MOFs into carbons is bringing the novel potential for MOFs to achieve industrialization, and carbons with controlled pore sizes and surface doping are one of the most important porous materials. By selecting MOFs as a precursor or template, carbons with heteroatom doping and well-developed pores can be achieved. In this review, we discussed the state-of-art study progress made in the new development of MOF-derived metal-free porous carbons. In particular, the potential use of metal-free carbons from environmental and energy perspectives, such as adsorption, supercapacitors, and catalysts, were analyzed in detail. Moreover, an outlook for the sustainable development of MOF-derived porous carbons in the future was also presented.

Applications of Metal-Organic-Framework-Derived Carbon Materials

Carbon materials derived from metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have attracted much attention in the field of scientific research in recent years because of their advantages of excellent electron conductivity, high porosity, and diverse applications. Tremendous efforts are devoted to improving their chemical and physical properties, including optimizing the morphology and structure of the carbon materials, compositing them with other materials, and so on. Here, many kinds of carbon materials derived from metal-organic frameworks are introduced with a particular focus on their promising applications in batteries (lithium-ion batteries, lithium-sulfur batteries, and sodium-ion batteries), supercapacitors (metal oxide/carbon and metal sulfide/carbon), electrocatalytic reactions (oxygen reduction reaction, oxygen evolution reaction, and hydrogen evolution reaction), water treatment (MOF-derived carbon and other techniques), and other possible fields. To close, some existing problem and corresponding possible solutions are proposed based on academic knowledge from the reported literature, along with a great deal of experimental experience.

Polymer network-derived nitrogen/sulphur co-doped three-dimensionally interconnected hierarchically porous carbon for oxygen reduction, lithium-ion battery, and supercapacitor

Rational design and simple synthesis of carbon-based materials with high electrocatalytic activity are essential for their practical applications in electrochemical energy conversion and storage devices. Herein, we report the synthesis of nitrogen, sulfur co-doped three-dimensional interconnected hierarchically porous carbon (NSHPC) by zinc acetate assisted pyrolysis of polymer networks. The thus-synthesized NSHPC has a specific surface area of 1057 cm² g⁻¹ with the coexistence of micro- and meso-pores. As metal-free electrocatalyst, the NSHPC exhibits a promising activity towards oxygen reduction reactions as evidenced by the slightly negative shift of half-wave potential compared with commercial Pt/C catalyst. The assembled lithium ion battery using NSHPC as anode delivers the reversible capacity of 740 and 470 mA h g⁻¹ at current densities of 2 and 5 A g⁻¹ without performance decay after 1000 charge–discharge cycles. Moreover, the assembled supercapacitor using NSHPC as electrode has the capacitance of 203 F g⁻¹ at 1 A g⁻¹.

Polymer networks are efficient precursors for large scale production of hierarchical porous carbon.

Metal Organic Framework Derived Materials: Progress and Prospects for the Energy Conversion and Storage

Exploring new materials with high efficiency and durability is the major requirement in the field of sustainable energy conversion and storage systems. Numerous techniques have been developed in last three decades to enhance the efficiency of the catalyst systems, control over the composition, structure, surface area, pore size, and moreover morphology of the particles. In this respect, metal organic framework (MOF) derived catalysts are emerged as the finest materials with tunable properties and activities for the energy conversion and storage. Recently, several nano- or microstructures of metal oxides, chalcogenides, phosphides, nitrides, carbides, alloys, carbon materials, or their hybrids are explored for the electrochemical energy conversion like oxygen evolution, hydrogen evolution, oxygen reduction, or battery materials. Interest on the efficient energy storage system is also growing looking at the practical applications. Though, several reviews are available on the synthesis and application of MOF and MOF derived materials, their applications for the electrochemical energy conversion and storage is totally a new field of research and developed recently. This review focuses on the systematic design of the materials from MOF and control over their inherent properties to enhance the electrochemical performances.

Recent Progress in Metal-Organic Frameworks and Their Derived Nanostructures for Energy and Environmental Applications

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), as a very promising category of porous materials, have attracted increasing interest from research communities due to their extremely high surface areas, diverse nanostructures, and unique properties. In recent years, there is a growing body of evidence to indicate that MOFs can function as ideal templates to prepare various nanostructured materials for energy and environmental cleaning applications. Recent progress in the design and synthesis of MOFs and MOF-derived nanomaterials for particular applications in lithium-ion batteries, sodium-ion batteries, supercapacitors, dye-sensitized solar cells, and heavy-metal-ion detection and removal is reviewed herein. In addition, the remaining major challenges in the above fields are discussed and some perspectives for future research efforts in the development of MOFs are also provided.

Porous carbon with large surface area derived from a metal–organic framework as a lithium-ion battery anode material

Porous carbon material was synthesized by calcination of a Cd-MOF template. When evaluated as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries, the carbon electrode shows a high reversible discharge capacity.