Research progress on metal-free catalysis by nanodiamond

Metal-free catalysis by nanostructured carbons has been one of the hottest topics in the research areas of catalysis and nanomaterials. The advantages of nanodiamond include good dispersibility, high surface curvature, outstanding catalytic performance and mass production. Nanodiamond can efficiently catalyze methane decomposition, butane dehydrogenation, ethylbenzene dehydrogenation, NO2- oxidation and other processes. This review focuses on recent progress on the characterization of heteroatom functional groups, formation of sp2-hybridized shell and reaction mechanism, and provides a perspective on the challenges and industrialization of nanodiamond-based catalysis technology.