Acta Phys. -Chim. Sin. ›› 2025, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (12): 100176.doi: 10.1016/j.actphy.2025.100176

• REVIEW • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Composition engineering in covalent organic frameworks for tailored photocatalysis

Yihong Shao1, Rongchen Shen1, Song Wang2,*(), Shijie Li3,*(), Peng Zhang4,*(), Xin Li1,*()   

  1. 1 Institute of Biomass Engineering, Key Laboratory for Biobased Materials and Energy of Ministry of Education, College of Materials and Energy, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, Guangdong Province, China
    2 Hubei Key Lab Low Dimens Optoelect Mat & Devices, Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang 441053, Hubei Province, China
    3 Key Laboratory of Health Risk Factors for Seafood of Zhejiang Province, National Engineering Research Center for Marine Aquaculture, College of Marine Science and Technology, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan 316022, Zhejiang Province, China
    4 State Centre for International Cooperation on Designer Low-Carbon & Environmental Materials (CDLCEM), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Henan, Zhengzhou 450001, Henan Province, China
  • Received:2025-08-08 Revised:2025-08-28 Accepted:2025-08-28 Published:2025-10-23
  • Contact: Email: Xinli@scau.edu.cn (Xin Li)wangsong1984@hbuas.edu.cn (Song Wang)lishijie@zjou.edu.cn (Shijie Li)zhangp@zzu.edu.cn (Peng Zhang)
  • Supported by:
    the National Natural Science Foundation of China(22378148); the National Natural Science Foundation of China(21975084); the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province(2024A1515012433); the National Natural Science Foundation of China(2230082074)

Abstract:

The harmful effects of the energy crisis and environmental degradation are becoming increasingly severe, which urgently demands the advancement of eco-friendly and sustainable production techniques. Direct conversion of abundant solar energy into chemical energy represents a promising green and efficient technological solution. In this process, photocatalysts play a pivotal role. Covalent organic frameworks (COFs), a class of porous materials interconnected by covalent bonds, exhibit exceptional potential for photocatalysis due to their high surface area, excellent crystallinity, and tunable structures. This review discusses the roles of compositional regulation in enhancing the photocatalytic performance of COFs, including modulating light absorption, increasing active sites, promoting exciton dissociation, and improving carrier separation. Furthermore, computational and mechanistic characterization methods are also discussed. More importantly, the key strategies in compositional regulation, such as heteroatom engineering, metal single-atom engineering, ion engineering, functional group engineering, Donor-Acceptor (D-A) molecular engineering, side chain engineering, multi-component engineering, isomerism engineering, conjugate bridge engineering, single-molecule junction engineering, and interlayer engineering, are carefully summarized. Moreover, their diversified modification strategies and applications in photocatalytic hydrogen (H2) evolution, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production, and carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction are also addressed. Finally, the current challenges and future opportunities for COF-based photocatalysis are outlined.

Key words: Covalent organic frameworks, Compositional regulation, Photocatalytic applications, Engineering and modification strategies, Exciton dissociation