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Using solar energy through green and simple artificial photosynthesis systems are considered as a promising way to solve the energy and environmental crisis. However, one of the important primary steps of photosynthesis, i.e., energy transfer, is long being ignored especially in inorganic semiconducting systems due to the small exciton binding energies. Herein, the simultaneous interrogation of the charge transfer and energy transfer steps in a photoexcitation process is proposed by utilizing few‐layered nanosheet‐assembled hierarchical BiOBr nanotubes with rich oxygen vacancies (OVs) as efficient multifunctional photocatalysts. Benefiting from the integrated 1D/2D structure and abundant OV defects, the excitonic effect strikes a delicate balance in the optimized BiOBr photocatalyst, showing not only improved charge carrier separation and transfer but also enhanced exciton generation. As a result, the hierarchical BiOBr nanotubes exhibit high efficiency toward photocatalytic CO2 reduction with an impressive CO evolution rate of 135.6 µmol g−1 h−1 without cocatalyst or photosensitizer. The dominant reactive oxygen species of singlet oxygen (1O2) are discriminated for the first time, which originated from an energy transfer process, with electrophilic character, whereas the minor effect of superoxide anion radical (•O2−) with a nucleophilic rate‐determining step in the photocatalytic aerobic oxidation of sulfides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non‐noble metal‐based bifunctional electrocatalysts are highly desired for water electrolysis. However, constructing a water electrolyzer using a sole catalyst without compromising either its oxygen evolution reaction (OER) or hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) performance is still challenging. In this study, a simple strategy is developed to integrate 2 D and 0 D CoP in the same metal–organic framework precursor‐derived hollow N‐doped carbon nanotube‐assembled polyhedron (HNCNP). The unique hierarchical structure endows the resulting nanocomposite with both the advantages of more exposed active sites for 2 D and large surface‐to‐volume ratio for 0 D materials, whereas the hollow interior could benefit the charge and mass transfer properties. Thus, CoP/HNCNP@2 D CoP exhibits outstanding OER and HER activity and a low cell voltage when employed as both the anode and cathode in a two‐electrode water electrolyzer. The approach of integrating the same metal phosphide phase with diverse dimensions may inspire new ways to design hierarchical nanostructures for advanced energy conversion applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effective deposition of metal–organic frameworks on kinds of biomaterials is still challenging and highly desirable. Using polydopamine as the effective nucleation center, HKUST‐1 is successfully prepared on three kinds of inert biomaterials, i.e., titanium oxide film (Ti–O), 316L stainless steel (316L SS), and poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC). Characterization of the surfaces by powder X‐ray diffraction confirm the oriented crystal growth of HKUST‐1 on the polydopamine coated substrates. There are no significant difference in catalytical NO generation and surface copper content of the three samples with HKUST‐1 deposition. All keep a NO release speed of ≈2.5 × 10−10 mol cm−2 min−1, thus platelet activation on the HKUST‐1 modified surfaces are inhibited compared to that of the unmodified ones. Ex vivo test shows thrombi formation is dramatically reduced. The HKUST‐1 coated surfaces elicit 95% reduction in the bacterial attachment of both Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The endothelial cells and macrophages culture results support good biocompatibility of the modified surfaces. It provides a promising, facile, and effective approach for surface modification of blood contact biomaterials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the shortage of sustainable resources and the increasingly serious environmental issues in recent decades, the demand for clean technologies and sustainable feedstocks is of great interest to researchers worldwide. With regard to the fields of energy saving and environmental remediation, the key point is the development of efficient catalysts, not only in terms of facile synthesis methods, but also the benign utilization of such catalysts. This work reviews the use of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and MOF-based materials in these fields. The definition of MOFs and MOF-based materials will be primarily introduced followed by a brief description of the characterization and stability of MOF-related materials under the applied conditions. The greening of MOF synthesis processes will then be discussed and catalogued by benign solvents and conditions and green precursors of MOFs. Furthermore, their suitable application in sustainable catalysis will be summarized, focusing on several typical atom-economic reactions, such as the direct introduction of H2 or O2 and C−C bond formation. Approaches towards reducing CO2 emission by MOF-based catalysts will be described with special emphasis on CO2 fixation and CO2 reduction. In addition, driven by the explosive growth of energy consumption in the last century, much research has gone into biomass, which represents a renewable alternative to fossil fuels and a sustainable carbon feedstock for chemical production. The advanced progress of biomass-related transformations is also illustrated herein. Fundamental insights into the nature of MOF-based materials as constitutionally easily recoverable heterogeneous catalysts and as supports for various active sites is thoroughly discussed. Finally, challenges facing the development of this field and the outlook for future research are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), which are known as a class of porous coordination polymers, have proven to be of great significance to manifold applications, owing to their fascinating topology, ultrahigh porosity, enormous internal surface area, and the combination of being as rigid as inorganic materials and as flexible as organic materials . In this review, we give a concise history of the development of MOFs as functional materials prior to our entry into this area in 2006, then a summary of our road to participate in and extend the outline of the research in MOFs chemistry, as well as the challenge in further designing applicable functional materials. We describe not only the road of evolution from the past, present, and future of this chemistry, but also the road to finalize a functional material from the desire to the design, synthesis, and postmodification of a MOF. Throughout the review, we particularly emphasize the improvements in the application of MOFs as heterogeneous catalysts, such as employing MOFs as one component for the construction of composites, and their extended scope in tough catalytic reactions. Examples of applications in gas storage and separation, small molecular sensing, and our perspectives for future applications triggered by MOFs, are also introduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Review: 199 refs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]