Functional Metal/Carbon Composites Derived from Metal–Organic Frameworks: Insight into Structures, Properties, Performances, and Mechanisms

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have extensively emerged as promising templates/precursors to prepare functional derivatives for various purposes because of their ultrahigh porosity, large specific surface area, and excellent user-configuration flexibility. Among these derivatives, MOFs-derived metal/carbon composites surmount the shortcomings of the individual components and produce synergistic effects, showing great potential in environmental remediation and energy storage and conversion. Herein, this work systematically discusses the synthetic strategies of MOFs-derived metal/carbon composites from the perspective of different MOF precursors, including pristine MOFs, heteroatom-doped MOFs, and MOFs composited with substrates. The unique advantages of MOFs-derived metal/carbon composites with exceptional stability, conductivity, and catalytic activity are then particularly summarized. On the basis of these advantages, their recent progress in the environment and energy fields is elaborated, with special emphasis on the elucidation of their mechanisms. Finally, the challenges and opportunities for future research are presented, which is expected to provide references for the design of multipurpose MOFs-derived metal/carbon composites.