Metal–Organic Frameworks as Electro-Catalysts for Oxygen Reduction Reaction in Electrochemical Technologies

Abstract

Fuel cells and metal-air batteries have been comprehensively investigated in recent years because of their high energy capacity, good efficiency and environmental friendly nature. Slow kinetics of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), one of the main processes in fuel cells and metal-air batteries, is improved with platinum catalysts that confine the prevalent utilization of such electrochemical devices with increasing worth for them. However, platinum catalysts after long time usage exhibit weak operations due to the crossover effect and agglomeration. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), the porous crystalline materials, consisting of metal centers coordinated to organic ligands, are appropriate catalysts due to their superior properties such as high surface area and carbon content, tunable pore size and diverse metal nodes. In this review, we summarize the recent progress in synthesis and design of MOF-derived ORR electrocatalysts in acidic and alkaline fuel cells. Our focus is on the different methods developed for improving the activity and stability of MOF based ORR electrocatalysts.Graphical Abstract