Recent Advances in Metal-Organic Frameworks and Their-Derived Electrocatalysts for Nitrate Reduction Reaction

Renewable electricity-driven electrocatalytic nitrate reduction for ammonia production is not only beneficial for the treatment of nitrogen-containing wastewater but also facilitates the recovery of valuable resources. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs)-based electrocatalysts have been extensively investigated as promising nitrate reduction reaction (NO₃ ^-RR) catalysts due to their structural and compositional tunability, as well as their highly dispersed active sites. Herein, the recent research advances made in MOFs and their-derived electrocatalysts for NO₃ ^-RR are reviewed. In the discussions, an attempt is made to highlight the advantages of MOFs and their derivatives in NO₃ ^-RR, focusing on key aspects including catalyst design strategies, reaction mechanisms, and approaches for enhancing catalytic performance. First, microstructure regulation enhances the catalytic activity of MOFs and their derivatives, and structure-activity relationships are analyzed for NO₃ ^-RR. Then, by integrating theoretical calculations and advanced in situ characterization, we thoroughly summarized the key intermediates, rate-determining steps, and electron/proton transfer mechanisms in the NO₃ ^-RR reaction pathway. Finally, we provide insights into future directions and prospects regarding the design, synthesis, and evaluation of MOFs-based electrocatalysts for enhanced NO₃ ^-RR.