Recent advances in lanthanide metal–organic framework-based catalysts for thermocatalysis of volatile organic compounds

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are significant indoor and outdoor air pollutants. Thermocatalysis is one of the most common methods for their removal, capable of completely mineralizing VOCs. Nanomaterials derived by pyrolytic means, based on the high specific surface area and high tunability of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), have received increasing attention in the field of efficient catalysis of VOCs. Lanthanide metal–organic frameworks (Ln-MOFs) have significant research value in thermocatalytic applications for VOCs by virtue of their flexible and rich coordination behaviors, Lewis acidity, excellent oxygen storage and discharge capabilities, unique electronic structure properties of lanthanide coordination metals. Herein, a comprehensive review of the recent advances in Ln-MOF-based catalysts for thermally catalyzed VOCs elaborates on the effects based on the structure, including pyrolysis strategy, metal substitution, surface modification, and composite doping. The review addresses the mechanistic issues of Ln-MOF-based catalysts in the thermocatalysis of VOCs and highlights their characteristic advantages as efficient catalysts for VOCs. Finally, this review also summarizes the key issues and challenges, provides perspectives and outlooks on the development and design of Ln-MOF-based catalysts. It serves as a reference for enhancing the performance and selecting appropriate Ln-MOF-based catalysts for treating VOCs. Lanthanide metal–organic framework-based catalysts possess unique material properties that facilitate efficient thermal catalytic performance of volatile organic compounds. Strategies such as pyrolysis, metal substitution, composite doping, and surface modification have been utilized to modify these catalysts and enhance their thermal catalytic capabilities for volatile organic compounds.