2D Materials Beyond Post‐AI Era: Smart Fibers, Soft Robotics, and Single Atom Catalysts

Abstract

Recent consecutive discoveries of various 2D materials have triggered significant scientific and technological interests owing to their exceptional material properties, originally stemming from 2D confined geometry. Ever‐expanding library of 2D materials can provide ideal solutions to critical challenges facing in current technological trend of the 4th industrial revolution. Moreover, chemical modification of 2D materials to customize their physical/chemical properties can satisfy the broad spectrum of different specific requirements across diverse application areas. This review focuses on three particular emerging application areas of 2D materials: smart fibers, soft robotics and single atom catalysts, which hold immense potentials for academic and technological advancements in the post‐AI era. Smart fibers showcase unconventional functionalities including healthcare/environmental monitoring, energy storage/harvesting and antipathogenic protection in the forms of wearable fibers and textiles. Soft robotics aligns with future trend to overcome longstanding limitations of hard‐material based mechanics by introducing soft actuators and sensors. Single atom catalysts are widely useful in energy storage/conversion and environmental management, principally contributing to low carbon footprint for sustainable post AI era. We highlight significance and unique values of 2D materials in these emerging applications, where our research group has devoted research efforts for more than a decade.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved