Pablo Ayala has recently uncovered the potential of the metal-organic framework (MOF), COK-47, in the realm of photocatalytic water splitting, a domain where few materials exhibit stability and responsiveness to visible light. Defined by its 2D Ti-O6 secondary structures, his study emphasizes how COK-47's efficacy is dictated by its particle shape, surface area, and ligand defects. His own version of the material, COK-47-ISO, has demonstrated an impressive hydrogen evolution reaction rate of 8.6 µmol h−1 and a quantum yield of 0.5% under visible light. He has also gleaned insights into its electronic structure and charge kinetics. Through his research, we introduce COK-47 as a viable alternative to the renowned MIL-125 family, suggesting promising avenues for future MOF investigations.

The paper has just been published Open Access in the Advanced Energy Materials and can be assessed via the link:

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/aenm.202300961, opens an external URL in a new window