Heteroatom-doped graphene-based materials for sustainable energy applications: A review

The demand for sustainable energy storage and production is vital and continues to grow with increasing human population. Energy utilization and environmental protection demand urgent attention in the development of energy devices, including the expansion and assessment of earth abundant and inexpensive materails. Recently, two-dimensional (2D) structured graphene has emerged as an outstanding energy material due to its excellent physicochemical properties, for example, high thermal and electrical conductivity, high surface area, strong mechanical strength, and an excellent chemical stability. However, pure graphene has a band gap of zero significantly limiting its application as a material. Among the various approaches used to alter the properties of graphene is doping with a heteroatom, which has been shown to be an efficient process in tailoring the properties of 2D-graphene. Heteroatom-doped graphene has several improved physicochemical properties, making graphene a favorable material for application in various fields. In this review, we report the usage and advancement of heteroatom-doped graphene materials in various energy conversion and storage technologies, including supercapacitors, batteries, dye-sensitized solar cells, and hydrogen production from electrocatalytic water splitting. Furthermore, we have also highlighted the recent developments made to date and systematically discuss physicochemical mechanisms, and the precise advantages obtained by the doping of heteroatoms. Finally, the challenges and future perspectives for heteroatom-doped graphene materials are outlined. The information provided in this review should be useful to any researchers involved in the field of graphene research for wide-ranging applications, and structural-oriented (morphology, structure, size and composition) research. • Progression of heteroatom-doped graphene materials in energy fields is overviewed. • Synergistic effects of heteroatoms with graphene are highlighted in energy application. • Developments on synthetic strategies for the fabrication of materials are described. • Challenges for heteroatom-doped graphene in energy fields are mentioned. • Effective electrochemical properties and future perspectives are discussed.