Reconstruction of Metal-Organic Frameworks for Enhanced Electrocatalytic Performance

Electrocatalytic reactions serve as a core enabling technology in energy storage and conversion, where the rational design of electrocatalysts plays a pivotal role in drastically lowering reaction barriers, accelerating reaction rates, and minimizing energy consumption. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have garnered widespread attention in the field of electrocatalysis due to their highly tailorable structures and engineered porosity. However, during electrocatalytic processes, many MOFs often undergo irreversible structural transformations due to their weak structural stability and participation in redox reactions, which directly affect their catalytic performance and long-term stability. Therefore, a deep understanding of the complicated structure evolution mechanisms of MOFs under electrocatalytic conditions is essential for designing promising catalysts, establishing structure-activity relationships, and promoting their large-scale application. This review systematically summarizes the structural design strategies of MOF electrocatalysts, focusing on their structural transformation mechanisms in various electrocatalytic reactions. Furthermore, the intrinsic correlation between the structural evolution of MOFs and catalytic performance is critically discussed. Finally, the opportunities and challenges in electrochemical reconstruction research of MOFs are outlined and accompanied with the underlying prospects in the field.