Zirconium-Porphyrin-Based Metal-Organic Framework Hollow Nanotubes for Immobilization of Noble-Metal Single Atoms.

Single atoms immobilized on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with unique nanostructures have drawn tremendous attention in the application of catalysis but remain a great challenge. Various single noble-metal atoms have now been successfully anchored on the well-defined anchoring sites of the zirconium porphyrin MOF hollow nanotubes, which are probed by aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy and synchrotron-radiation-based X-ray absorption fine-structure spectroscopy. Owing to the hollow structure and excellent photoelectrochemical performance, the HNTM-Ir/Pt exhibits outstanding catalytic activity in the visible-light photocatalytic H2 evolution via water splitting. The single atom immobilized on MOFs with hollow structures are expected to pave the way to expand the potential applications of MOFs.