Nitrogen-doped nanocarbons (NNCs): Current status and future opportunities

The current and estimated energy demand and their potential sources of supply indicate a daunting future for humanity on the planet unless sustainable solutions are developed. The scarcity, high cost and the potential environmental and health concerns related to widely used noble-metals make the situation even worse. Thus, active participation from scientific and industrial communities is essential to replace noble-metal (or any metal) based processes with more sustainable alternatives. In that context, recent developments in heteroatom-doped (especially nitrogen) nanocarbons and their wide-ranging applications show promises towards substituting the processes, which normally utilize expensive, scarce and hazardous materials. Herein, a brief overview of nitrogen-doped nanocarbons (NNCs) is provided highlighting their significance and sustainable prospects.