Unveiling cutting-edge progress in coordination chemistry of the metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and their composites: Fundamentals, synthesis strategies, electrochemical and environmental applications

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) refer to materials consisting of metal ions connected to organic ligands and resulting in tightly packed, periodically porous structures. The present review casts light on the role of coordination chemistry in MOF formation and the resultant impact on the electrochemical and environmental performances. That is, the nature of metal–ligand interactions particularly coordination geometry and bonding modes is demonstrated to dictate important attributes like porosity, stability and electronic character of the systems. In energy storage applications, the incorporation of transition metal-based MOFs such as NiVO₃@CoNi-MOF has shown a vast improvement. From these materials, the specific capacitance of 19.20F/cm² and energy density of 1.27 mWh/cm² are obtained with high cycling stability of 96.43 % after 10,000 cycles due to a controlled coordination environment. In environmental applications, the catalytic activity of MOF-based systems is believed to be a result of the ordered distribution of metal nodes and organic linkers. For instance, the V₂O₅@C catalyst showed low over-potential (282 mV) for OER with improved electron transfer due to the well-defined coordination structures of the catalysts. The results highlight the role of coordination chemistry in the control of the stimuli-responsive properties of MOFs and show their high efficiency in numerous processes, including energy storage and pollutant removal. This review demonstrates how improvements in coordination chemistry can enhance MOF performance thus expanding their applications in sustainable technologies.