Borophene 2.0: nanoarchitecting the future from tunable properties to next-generation applications

Borophene, a two-dimensional boron-based material, is a promising platform for next-generation applications due to its unique electronic, mechanical, and chemical properties. This review examines advances in nanoarchitected borophene (n-BPh) from 2016 to 2024, focusing on doping and decoration strategies that enhance stability and functionality. Techniques like surface passivation, hydrogenation, and doping with alkali metals, transition metals, and non-metals (e.g., C, P, N, O) enable tunable properties, including conductivity and band gap, for applications in hydrogen storage (e.g., Li-decorated BPh with 13.7 wt% capacity), supercapacitors, electrocatalysis, biosensing, and optoelectronics. Challenges such as environmental stability and scalable synthesis are addressed, with future trends emphasizing AI-driven predictive design via density functional theory calculations. This work underscores n-BPh's transformative potential in energy, electronics, and nanotechnology, paving the way for innovative, sustainable technologies.