Functional Regulation of Covalent Organic Frameworks for Photocatalytic Water Splitting

Solar-driven water splitting into hydrogen and oxygen fuels represents a promising way for clean energy production to achieve a carbon-neutral future. The efficiency of photocatalytic water splitting strongly relies on the development of high-performance catalysts. Noteworthily, covalent organic frameworks (COFs) offer a distinctive platform for designing photo-to-chemical energy conversion, benefiting from their tailorable structure, ultrahigh porosity, robust framework, sufficient light absorption, and rich active sites. Herein we highlight a systematic overview of the recent research progress using COFs for photocatalytic water splitting half-reactions and overall water splitting. With an aim to shed light on understanding the structural design of COF photocatalysts for water splitting, various functional strategies are discussed. Finally, the major challenges and future perspectives are proposed with the hope of achieving the ongoing development of this emerging field.