A comprehensive review on electroactive MOF-reinforced nanocomposites: From material design to practical applications

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), with their special properties like high porosity and adjustable structures, have emerged as versatile reinforcements for nanocomposites. These hybrid systems have gained enormous attention for their potential to achieve electrical conductivity, either through the intrinsic properties of MOFs or via the incorporation of conductive nanomaterials within the MOF framework. This review explores recent advancements in nanocomposite systems reinforced with MOFs, focusing on two primary categories: systems where conductivity stems from the MOFs themselves and those enhanced by doping with additional nanomaterials. Various organic and inorganic additives, including polymer core-shells, C₃N₄, electroactive polymers, graphene, carbon (nanosheets and nanotubes), zeolites, metals, MOF-reinforced metal oxides, semimetals, and MXenes, are analyzed for their roles in enhancing the conductive, chemical, and structural characteristics of these nanocomposites. The potential of these systems to enable the development of lightweight, cost-effective, and chemically and electrically resilient materials with broad applications is also discussed. This review highlights the prospects and obstacles in advancing MOF-reinforced nanocomposites for next-generation electrically conductive materials.