Learning metal-organic framework-derived materials: Fundamentals and applications in energy conversion and storage

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a quickly growing group of highly crystalline porous materials. They are known for their large surface areas, adjustable pore networks, and flexible chemical environments. Because of these benefits, MOFs and the nanostructures that come from them are becoming more and more popular as possible candidates for next-generation energy storage and conversion technologies. This review summarizes the latest advancements in incorporating MOF-based and MOF-derived materials into photovoltaic systems, including dye-sensitized, perovskite, and organic solar cells. It emphasises how structural tunability improves light absorption, charge separation, and interfacial stability. We also talk about how MOF frameworks and carbonised MOF derivatives are becoming more important in rechargeable energy storage systems like lithium-ion, lithium‑sulfur, and lithium-air batteries, as well as supercapacitors. We focus on how their porous structures facilitate ion transport, enhance redox kinetics, and achieve stable long-term cycling performance. The review ends by listing the main problems and future research priorities that need to be addressed in order to make MOF-based materials more useful for electrochemical systems. These include making the materials more structurally stable, creating synthesis methods that can be used on a large scale, and gaining a better understanding of how they work.