Synthesis of Two-Dimensional Metal Nanomaterials for Electrocatalytic Multielectron Transfer Reactions

Multielectron transfer reactions provide a reasonable answer to renewable energy conversion and storage while shedding light on the electrochemical synthesis of green chemicals. Two-dimensional (2D) metal nanomaterials exhibit great potential for these reactions due to their unique physiochemical properties for optimum affinity toward reactants, large surface area with abundant low-coordinated accessible atoms at the surface, good electroconductivity, and tunable structures. However, the controllable preparation of 2D metal nanomaterials remains tricky, and their advantages in electrocatalysis have not yet been fully uncovered. This review summarizes the synthetic methodology of 2D metal nanomaterials and their applications in electrocatalytic multielectron transfer reactions and gives critical perspectives on relevant research directions, with emphasis on phase regulation, in situ synthetic process imaging, and expanding for more reactions toward carbon recycling and clean water. This review reveals that 2D metal nanomaterials hold great potential for multielectron transfer reactions and correlates their structure and performance in a rational way, which will stimulate further research on the synthetic method development and catalytic applications of 2D metal nanomaterials.