Advances of COFs for photocatalytic application: Water splitting, CO2 reduction, H2O2 production, and organic transformation

The clean conversion of solar energy presents a potential approach to addressing the current energy and environmental predicament. Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) as effective and stable photocatalytic materials possess high crystallinity and porosity, structural and functional adjustability, and pre-designed properties, which are widely employed in the photocatalytic water-splitting resolution to mitigate energy shortage, in the carbon dioxide reduction to combat the greenhouse effect, in the photosynthesis of H₂O₂ to achieve green chemical production, as well as in the photocatalytic organic conversion to obtain the required organic products. This work systematically summarizes strategies for improving photocatalytic performances and presents a comprehensive review of the recent advancements of COF-based materials in photocatalysis. Furthermore, we provide a brief outlook on unresolved issues in this field, aiming to contribute to a comprehensive comprehension about the advantages and disadvantages of COFs as photocatalysts and inspire scientists to address the challenges that stand in the way of further progress in this field.