Metal nitrides nanostructures: Properties, synthesis and conceptualization in analytical methods developments for chemical analysis and separation, and in energy storage applications

The huge success of boron and carbon nitride nanostructures owing to their magnificent characteristics has encouraged the researchers to develop metal nitride nanostructures which has grabbed substantial recognition in various fields such as optoelectronic devices, catalysis, batteries, transistors, and sensing devices. Exploring low-cost metal-based nitrides with high activity and efficiency equivalent to precious noble metals is a prerequisite for various analytical applications. This review summarizes exceptional properties exhibited by metal nitrides and the contemporary research advancements in their synthesis. The chief emphasis is on the potent analytical applications of metal nitrides in sensing biomolecules, drugs, and pollutants. The various applications such as electrochemical, optical sensing techniques were reviewed and the different sensing mechanisms involved such as Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET), Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) were discussed. Also, their applications in adsorption, removal and separation mechanisms were reviewed. Further, advances of metal nitride nanostructures in energy storage applications are briefly summarized. At last, after reviewing the literature individual perspectives are shared to explore these novel metal nitride nanostructures for numerous applications.