Cobalt-Based ZIF-67 Metal Organic Framework for Enhanced Photoelectrochemical Performance

This investigation explores the efficacy of Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-67 (ZIF-67), a cobalt-centric metal-organic framework, in photoelectrocatalytic hydrogen generation. A comprehensive analysis of ZIF-67's structural, morphological, and photoelectrochemical attributes is conducted using techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area analysis, and ultraviolet-visible (UV–vis) absorption spectroscopy. The photoelectrochemical performance of ZIF-67 is evaluated on various substrates, including UV-ozone treated fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrates and carbon paper. This study demonstrates enhanced photoelectrocatalytic performance from ZIF-67 through strategic substrate engineering. UV-ozone treated FTO/ZIF-67 achieves -138 µA/cm² (five times improvement vs untreated FTO), while ZIF-67/carbon black delivers -390 µA/cm² (4 times higher than literature ZIF-67/BiVO₄ composites). Comprehensive analysis (SEM, XRD, BET: 1416 m²/g, UV–vis: 2.03 eV bandgap) reveals how surface hydrophilicity and conductive additives enhance charge transfer, validated by EIS, and chronoamperometry. These findings establish substrate optimization as a powerful strategy for advancing MOF-based photoelectrocatalytic hydrogen production.