Bringing catalytic order out of chaos with nitrogen-doped ordered mesoporous carbon

Rationally designing an appropriate support plays significant roles in catalysis through anchoring active sites firmly, enabling fast mass transport, and confining reaction fields. Recently, nitrogen-doped ordered mesoporous carbons (NOMCs) are emerging as an intriguing support due to well-defined ordered pore channels, unique confined microenvironment, and abundant N ligands, which create more possibilities of achieving catalytic orders and designing better catalysts. Here, we firstly cover the potentials of NOMCs in designing desirable catalysts with special emphasis on the charac-ters of NOMCs toward catalysis. Then, various synthetic strategies for NOMCs are summarized, including (1) nanocasting, (2) solution collaborative self-assembly, (3) evaporation-induced self-assembly, and (4) solvent-free method. Next, we detail the catalytic applica-tions of NOMCs-based metal-free, metal-nanoparticle, and single -atom catalysts across electrocatalysis and organic synthesis. Finally, we give a perspective for NOMCs about the current challenges and future opportunities confronted in their fundamental research and practical applications.

Automated summary

Rationally designing an appropriate support is crucial for catalysis, and nitrogen-doped ordered mesoporous carbons (NOMCs) are emerging as intriguing supports with well-defined pore channels and abundant functional groups, offering potential for improved catalysis. Various synthetic strategies can be used to prepare NOMCs, and their applications in electrocatalysis and organic synthesis show promising prospects for future developments.