Recent insights into heterometal-doped copper oxide nanostructure-based catalysts for renewable energy conversion and generation

Over the past few decades, researchers have worked with copper oxide nanostructures (CONs) to explore their applications in renewable energy conversion and generation. However, the major limitations of this class of nanomaterials are poor electrical conductivity, undesirable optical properties, and low electrochemical capacity, which eventually reduce their catalytic performance in various electrochemical and photocatalytic devices used for energy conversion and generation. To overcome these limitations, an efficient strategy was proposed in which CONs are doped with metals. The metal-doped CONs (M-CONs) have exhibited excellent performances as photocatalysts and electrocatalysts in energy conversion and generation, which are comprehensively reviewed in this article. In particular, this review critically discusses M-CONs-based catalysts in terms of their synthesis methods, growth mechanisms, metal-doping mediated changes in key properties, and applications in energy conversion and generation. In addition, major challenges and future prospects for M-CONs in energy-related applications are also discussed. This systematic review is intended to serve as a guide for the further development of M-CONs-based catalysts, as well as other metal-doped transition metal oxides, as an emerging class of nanomaterials for renewable energy-related applications.