Research progress of MOF electrochromic materials

Electrochromism is the process by which a material applies a small electrical signal to change the optical properties (transmittance, reflectance, absorptivity and emissivity) of the material reversibly or permanently through REDOX reactions resulting from ion and electron embedding/ejection. Metal-organic framework (MOF) are advantageous materials for electrochromic application due to their high porosity, large specific surface area and orderly pore structure, that promotes the adsorption of electrolyte ions, ion diffusion and charge transfer. In addition, MOFs possess a variety of ligands and metal centers, allowing for design of composition types and pore structure sizes. This grants them the advantages of both organic electrochromic materials, such as vivid colors and fast color transformation, and inorganic electrochromic materials, like high coloring efficiency and excellent stability. This paper reviews the current research progress of MOF electrochromic materials, including materials design, electrochromic properties, and application.