Research progress in photocatalysis and electrocatalysis of two-dimensional covalent organic framework materials

Abstract

Two-dimensional covalent organic frameworks (2D COFs) are ideal heterogeneous catalysts, and have been widely used in photocatalysis and electrocatalysis, owing to their high specific surface area, tunable porosity, facile functionalization, highly accessible and dispersed catalytic active sites. Starting from the rational design strategy of the structure and functionalization of COFs, synthetic methods for 2D COFs were reviewed, including solvothermal synthesis, mechanochemical synthesis, microwave synthesis, ionothermal synthesis, sonochemical synthesis, interfacial synthesis, and room temperature synthesis. Furthermore, recent progress of 2D COFs applications in photocatalysis and electrocatalysis was summarized, including hydrogen evolution reaction, oxygen evolution reaction, oxygen reduction reaction, carbon dioxide reduction reaction, and photo/electrocatalytic organic conversion. Finally, the challenges of 2D COFs in photocatalysis and electrocatalysis were summarized, including high cost of organic ligands, difficulty of industrialization, the use of sacrificial agents, and a cooperative coupling reaction strategy was proposed based on photo/electroorganic synthesis and hydrogen evolution or oxygen evolution reactions.

Keywords

• two-dimensional covalent organic framework
• photocatalysis
• electrocatalysis
• post-synthetic modification
• condensation reaction