Atomically dispersed metal catalysts confined by covalent organic frameworks and their derivatives for electrochemical energy conversion and storage

• The advantages and features of COFs for confining ADMCs are summarized. • The design strategies for COFs and derivatives confined ADMCs are elaborated. • Electrocatalytic application of COFs and derivatives confined ADMCs are expounded. • The existing challenges and prospect are suggested. Atomically dispersed metal catalysts (ADMCs), a kind of metal species in the form of isolated atoms, have already become a new research front in heterogeneous catalysis. Generally, ADMCs are confined on supports, offering a better opportunity to optimize the catalytic performance via making use of metal-support interface interaction. Moreover, the electronic state and coordination structure of ADMCs can be regulated by the coordinated atoms from supports, thereby affecting the interaction between catalysts and substrates. Hence, the support plays a decisive role in the coordination structure, thereby determining the catalytic performance. Recently, covalent organic frameworks (COFs) exhibit enormous potential for confining ADMCs, featuring the outstanding properties of predictable structure, adjustable pore size, and tailored functionality. Here, this review not only elaborates the advantages and features of COFs for confining ADMCs, but also highlights the design strategies of COFs and derivatives confined ADMCs. Besides, we showcase the recent advance in electrocatalytic energy conversion and storage of COFs and derivatives confined ADMCs. Finally, the current problems, feasible strategies, and future expectations for the practical applications of COFs and derivatives anchored ADMCs are proposed.