Influence of Iron-Series Transition Metal Centers on the Electrochemical Performance of BDC-Based Metal-Organic Frameworks for Energy Storage

The transition towards sustainable energy systems signified electrochemical energy storage technologies; the electrode materials of these devices are of key importance. Metal-Organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as a potential candidate as electrode material for these devices due to their tunability and electrochemical versatility. A systematic understanding of how metal centre selection has an effect on the properties of electrode material is incomplete. This review addresses this gap by comparing iron series transition metals (Fe, Co, Ni, Mn) with the carboxylate ligand framework (1,4-benzenedicarboxylate) for applications in lithium-ion battery and supercapacitors. Analysis of a normalized performance data reveals that trimetallic system (CoCuNi-BDC/NF) achieve exceptional specific capacitance (2891 F g⁻¹) while monometallic frameworks show superior cyclic retention. Co-BDC (powder) maintained 85% retention after 2000 cycles. In lithium-ion battery, thermally activated Mn-1,4-BDC@200 shows the highest normalized capacity (974 mAh g⁻¹ at 100 mA g⁻¹) while Fe-based MOFs require conductive material (such as reduced graphene oxide) to overcome its electronic limitations. These findings show the significance of metal centre and how it contributes to the electrochemical properties.