Recent advances in polyoxometalate-based materials and their derivatives for electrocatalysis and energy storage

The development and implementation of sustainable clean energy have attracted more attention in response to the urgent requirements of environmental pollution and the energy crisis caused by fossil fuels. Consequently, there is a pressing demand for the advancement and implementation of diverse energy conversion and storage technologies to facilitate the generation and utilization of clean energy sources. With the characteristics of reversible redox properties, high thermodynamic and chemical stability, controllable size, and precise structure, polyoxometalates (POMs) have broad application prospects in electrocatalysis and energy storage. Herein, the significant roles of POMs in electrocatalysis and energy storage have been highlighted. Then, the recent advances of POM-based materials and their derivatives in water-splitting, CO2 reduction reactions (CO2RR), the N2 reduction reaction (NRR), supercapacitors (SCs), and rechargeable batteries are systematically summarized. Furthermore, this review discusses the relationship between the catalyst structure and catalytic reaction activity by comparing different electrocatalytic or energy storage systems. Finally, the conclusions and outlooks of POM-based materials and their derivatives in electrocatalysis and energy storage are discussed to promote new progress. This review highlights the significant roles of POMs in electrocatalysis and energy storage, and summarizes the recent advances of POM-based materials and their derivatives in water-splitting, the CO2RR, the NRR, SCs, and rechargeable batteries.