Recent advances of polyoxometalate-based materials applied for electron-related devices

Polyoxometalates (POMs) feature diversified structures, tailorable compositions, adjustable redox behaviors, and multielectron storage capability. As such, POM-based materials provide vast opportunities for a plethora of wide applications, which has triggered the enthusiasm of academic and industrial researchers. Moreover, developing advanced POM-based materials with tailored properties allows further performance enhancement and the emergence of novel functionalities. Furthermore, the substantial progress of POMs over the past five years necessitates an updated summary as well as adaptable perspectives to fuel the future advancement with respect to both fundamental science and practical applications. Herein, on the basis of their intrinsic electronic, optoelectronic, and electrochemical properties, applications of POM-based materials in solar cells, ion batteries, solid-state proton conductors and electrochemical biosensors are summarized with a primary focus on up-to-date developments. In light of the interdisciplinary nature of these applications, fundamental knowledge of each relevant area is provided at the beginning as the basis for the subsequent representative advancements, wherein mechanistic elucidations shedding light on structure–property–performance relationships are highlighted. Finally, personal perspectives are proposed to hopefully offer valuable insights into the accelerated development of POM-based materials in the future.