The Role of Metal-Organic Frameworks in Clean Energy: A Comprehensive Review of Applications, Advances, and Challenges

The urgent need for sustainable energy solutions has driven extensive research into advanced materials for carbon capture and hydrogen storage. Among these, Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as promising candidates due to their exceptionally high surface area (up to 7,800 m2/g), tunable porosity, and superior gas adsorption properties. MOFs have demonstrated CO₂ capture capacities exceeding 30 wt.% at ambient conditions and hydrogen storage densities reaching 6.9 wt%, surpassing conventional materials such as zeolites and activated carbons. Recent breakthroughs in MOF synthesis, including functionalized and hybrid structures, have significantly enhanced their selectivity and stability for real-world applications. However, challenges such as scalability, synthesis costs, and long-term structural integrity hinder widespread industrial deployment. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the latest advancements in MOF-based carbon and hydrogen storage, explores their practical applications in clean energy, and discusses critical challenges in transitioning these materials from laboratory research to large-scale implementation. By bridging fundamental research with industrial feasibility, this paper highlights the transformative potential of MOFs in achieving global decarbonization and a hydrogen-based energy economy.