Nanocarbon for Electrocatalysis

Electrocatalytic utilization of renewable energy is vital for realizing carbon neutralization of our globe and sustainably fueling human society. Heteroatom-doped carbon nanomaterials (CNMs) have received considerable interest in recent years due to their potential application as electrocatalysts in various renewable energy conversion and storage technologies such as fuel cells, water splitting, nitrogen fixation, etc. This review presents an overview of the recent progress in the tunable synthesis, characterizations, and electrocatalytic properties of heteroatom-doped CNMs. The focus will be laid on the effects of different heteroatoms, the synergy of multiple doping elements, and treating conditions on the electrocatalytic performance of CNMs towards fundamental electrocatalytic reactions including oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), oxygen evolution reaction (OER), hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), CO2 reduction reactions (CO2RR), nitrogen fixation reactions (NRR), etc. Moreover, the review highlights the current understanding of the underlying mechanisms of heteroatom doping on the electrocatalytic properties of CNMs. Finally, the opportunities and challenges associated with the applications of heteroatom-doped CNMs as electrocatalysts in practical energy conversion devices are discussed.