Metal-Organic Framework (MOF)-Based Catalysts for Sustainable Energy Technologies: A Review

The demand for sustainable energy technologies is high due to the depletion and risks linked to fossil fuel usage. Diverse energy technologies, such as regenerative fuel cells, zinc-air batteries, and comprehensive water-splitting devices, possess significant potential for the advancement of green energy. MOFs hold a prominent position among the various kinds of materials utilized in renewable energy technologies. MOFs are highly promising catalysts for renewable energy technologies due to their elevated surface area, diverse chemical functionalities, and tunable pore structure. Consequently, it is essential to develop more conductive MOFs that can be directly employed in modern energy applications. This review offers a comprehensive analysis of renewable energy technologies, such as energy conversion (catalysis), electrochemical energy storage (supercapacitors and batteries), and gas storage (CO₂ and hydrogen) which play a key role in the transition toward clean and green resources. Additionally, recent developments in the field are discussed, highlighting emerging trends and future opportunities for broadening the applications and overcoming the current limitations of MOFs. This review aims to present the current landscape of MOFs, emphasizing extensive initiatives, functional alterations, and AI & ML forecasts that will persist in advancing the field, providing transformative remedies to worldwide issues, and representing a new era of innovative materials to tackle future scientific and technological challenges in energy and energy-related applications.