Ion exchange in metal-organic frameworks and their derivatives: a facile strategy for enhanced water splitting

Hydrogen has emerged as the cleanest and highly efficient energy source, with electrocatalysis being a leading method for green hydrogen production through water splitting reaction (WSR). In this regard, the development of state-of-the-art electrocatalysts with excellent performance, robust stability, and cost-effectiveness is essential. Ion exchange (IE) enables the replacement of target ions at the atomic level, which is time-saving and reliable in fine-tuning the structural and compositional properties of electrocatalysts. Indeed, IE has become an important technique that researchers are keen to explore for cutting-edge electrocatalysts. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), with their modifiable metal nodes and organic ligands, are prime candidates for undergoing IE. This review overviews the latest developments in precise tuning of MOF-based electrocatalysts through IE. We begin by exploring the basic principles and mechanisms of IE. Subsequently, we systematically discuss the various ion species compatible with MOFs for IE. The correlation between ion types, resulting structures, and performances through IE process is particularly given emphasis. Looking forward, we provide an outlook on future prospects of ion exchange in MOFs and MOF-based electrocatalysts for WSR. We anticipate that this review will provide valuable theoretical guidance for the precise tuning of MOFs and inspire creative development of multifunctional MOF-based electrocatalysts. (c) 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.