Strategies for local electronic structure engineering of two-dimensional electrocatalysts

Electrocatalytic processes have garnered increased attention for energy conversion and mass production because of their high efficiency and selectivity. In particular, electrocatalysts play a critical role in catalytic performance. Two-dimensional (2D) materials, which feature a large surface area with abundant active sites and tunable physicochemical properties, have been regarded as one of the most important candidates for future electrocatalysis. However, further research efforts are required to specifically optimize their catalytic performance to realize their commercialization. In this account, strategies for regulating the local electronic structures of 2D electrocatalysts, including heteroatom doping, single-atom loading, heterojunction formation, vacancy engineering, and strain engineering, are briefly summarized. Furthermore, the relationship between these strategies and the electrocatalytic performance of the developed materials is discussed. Finally, an outlook of the 2D electrocatalysts is provided.