Engineering Carbons by Elemental Doping and Processing Procedures for Design of Functional Materials

Carbon materials have emerged as versatile and promising candidates due to their low cost, abundance, and exceptional thermal and chemical stability. Doping has proven to be a powerful strategy for further enhancing their properties and expanding their application scope. Nonetheless, challenges remain in achieving performance comparable to established materials such as noble metal or metal oxide catalysts, gaining molecular insights into the underlying mechanisms, and ensuring controllable synthesis. This minireview explores the next frontier in the field by discussing less commonly studied doping elements, such as halogens (fluorine) and semi-metallic elements. The unique features of these elements in carbon are specifically debated, including their configurations, structural properties, and chemical behavior, highlighting their differences compared to other heteroatoms. Additionally, the synergistic effects among different dopants within the carbon matrix are highlighted, particularly through the emerging concept of solid-state Frustrated Lewis Pairs (FLP) in various applications. Furthermore, the critical role of carbonization precursors and techniques in the design of advanced carbon materials is emphasized, focusing on the relationships between processes and properties. Through exploring these emerging avenues, the development of next-generation carbon materials is anticipated with enhanced functionalities and performance.