Metal-doped carbon nitrides: synthesis, structure and applications

Abstract

Metal doping is a common strategy for the regulation of the structure of carbon nitride materials at the molecular level. A wide range of intriguing applications of metal-doped carbon nitride (M–CN) materials have recently been investigated from the mainstream of photocatalysis to other emerging fields, including electrocatalysis, organic synthesis, biosensors, and nanozymes. From a fundamental point of view, M–CN is an essential branch of carbon nitride materials and opens a new avenue for the preparation of single-atom catalysts and even endows the materials with new exciting properties. In particular, M–N_x structures as active sites in numerous M–CN materials have been widely demonstrated using both experiments and theoretical calculations. This review summarizes the state-of-the-art preparation methods, characterization techniques, and diverse applications of M–CN. Finally, future perspectives on the fabrication and application prospects of M–CN materials are discussed.