Porous two dimensional architectures for high efficiency electrocatalytic urea oxidation

Porous two-dimensional (2D) materials have emerged as promising electrocatalysts for the urea oxidation reaction (UOR) due to their high surface area, tunable electronic properties, and enhanced charge and mass transport. These structural advantages improve catalytic activity, selectivity, and reaction kinetics. However, challenges such as catalyst deactivation, structural instability, and limited mechanistic understanding still restrict their broader application. While previous studies have explored compositional tuning and catalytic performance, a systematic understanding of how porosity, defect engineering, and electronic structure modulation govern UOR efficiency and durability remains limited. This review comprehensively evaluates porous 2D materials for UOR, focusing on structure-activity relationships and fundamental catalytic mechanisms. Special attention is given to how pore architecture, surface defects, and electronic configurations regulate reaction pathways. Porous 2D materials are categorized into six major classes: oxides and their derivatives, hydroxides, sulfides, phosphides, carbides and nitrides, and other emerging materials. Unlike conventional reviews that primarily classify materials based on composition and performance, this work highlights the role of microstructural design in optimizing UOR electrocatalysis. By addressing existing knowledge gaps and identifying key structural parameters for catalyst optimization, this review provides a systematic framework for guiding the rational design of porous 2D materials in sustainable electrochemical energy conversion.