Doping graphene with boron: a review of synthesis methods, physicochemical characterization, and emerging applications

Graphene based materials can be effectively modified by doping in order to specifically tailor their properties toward specific applications. So far the most used and widely investigated dopant heteroatom is probably nitrogen. However, boron is also an equally important element that can induce novel and complementary properties leading to specific implementation in alternative devices and technologies. In this paper, we survey the most recent preparation methods of boron doped graphene, including materials with specific morphology such as nanoribbons, quantum dots and 3D interconnected systems. We illustrate the results of theoretical and experimental studies dealing with the description and understanding of the main structural, electronic and chemical properties of this material. The emerging applications of boron doped graphene in several technological fields such as electrochemistry, sensors, photovoltaics, catalysis and biology are extensively reviewed.