A review on 2D transition metal nitrides: Structural and morphological impacts on energy storage and photocatalytic applications

Transition Metal Nitrides (TMNs) are an emerging class of materials in the modern world with potential applications in energy generation, storage, and conversion. Significant attention has been devoted to two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials owing to their numerous advantages, including high surface area, mechanical strength, conductivity, and versatility in terms of functionalization with a variety of chemical groups. The potential benefits of incorporating TMN into 2D structures make this an alluring avenue for exploration. However, research on 2D TMNs has been limited due to the difficulty in their synthesis. This review comprehensively examines various 2D TMNs based on their structure, morphology, and optical properties, and discusses the challenges in synthesizing them and attempts to overcome these limitations. The review also covers the electrochemical and photocatalytic capabilities of different TMNs and how these properties are affected by their structure and morphology. Furthermore, the review identifies the areas that require further improvement and discusses the challenges that need to be addressed to advance the research on 2D TMNs. [Display omitted] •A review of structural, morphological and optical properties of 2D TMNs.•Correlation of these properties with their enhanced applications.•Challenges in synthesizing 2D TMNs and strategies for overcoming them.•Nitrides of molybdenum are the most studied 2D TMN.