Polyoxometalates in environmental remediation and energy storage

Over recent decades, while environmental awareness and pollution control efforts have yielded localized improvements, ongoing industrial growth, rapid global population expansion, and escalating energy demands continue to drive significant global environmental pollution challenges. Polyoxometalates, a remarkable class of metal-oxide complexes, have recently emerged as promising compounds in the development of multifunctional materials for environmental pollutant removal, energy conversion and storage, and sensing. This review critically examines current research on their use for the removal of common toxic gases – such as H₂S, NO_x, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) – from polluted air, as well as the elimination of various organic dyes, heavy metals, and pharmaceutical contaminants from wastewater. POMs have also gained recognition as adaptable redox-active materials suitable for next-generation energy storage systems. Their high electron-transfer capacity, structural flexibility, and remarkable chemical stability make them ideal candidates for various applications. POMs can facilitate multi-electron redox processes, allowing for their application in batteries, supercapacitors, and hybrid devices, which results in improved energy density and cycling performance. Recent developments in POM-based composites and electrode designs are further discussed for innovative, sustainable, and scalable energy storage solutions. Additionally, their tunable electrical and magnetic properties make them effective sensors for detecting various environmental pollutants.