Currently the world is facing a web of challenges, of which the most important are, energy crisis, environmental pollution and health issues, worsened by the consumption of fossil fuels, various industries toxic effluents and noxious microbes. To address these thorny issues, a holistic approach is essential, emphasizing sustainable and renewable energy sources, water pollution and microbial control measures. Photo- and electro-catalysis have emerged as promising strategies, which could efficiently present a practical solution to these evils. These strategies dominate over the others due to their opto-electrical, physicochemical, green, economical, versatile, efficient, environmental-friendly and easy manipulation properties. Conventional semiconductor photocatalysts have limitations, e.g., wide bandgap, rapid recombination of charge carriers, non-selectivity and stability. However, cocatalysts coupling with semiconductor materials could compensate and overcome these challenges. Among two-dimensional (2D) cocatalysts, MXene have revealed huge potential owing to their unique properties which facilitate them as a wonderful material for their extensive applications. In this review, various innovative strategies for MXene synthesis have been explored in detail, including fluorine-based and fluorine-free approaches. Moreover, a comprehensive approach has been applied to deeply discuss the etching mechanisms, surface termination controlling, intercalation and delamination mechanisms of MXenes. The toxicity and promising antimicrobial properties of MXene are also discussed in this review. MXenes exhibits a multifaceted role in energy applications, showing its potential in clean and sustainable energy technologies, environmental remediation and biomedical sectors. Lastly, we conclude with current trends, challenges and possible future perspectives, offering valuable insights for researchers in multiple disciplines.

中文翻译：

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揭示 MXene 基础知识的前沿进展：合成策略、能源和生物环境应用

当前，世界面临着一系列挑战，其中最重要的是能源危机、环境污染和健康问题，而化石燃料的消耗、各行业有毒废水和有毒微生物的消耗加剧了这些问题。为了解决这些棘手问题，必须采取整体方法，强调可持续和可再生能源、水污染和微生物控制措施。光催化和电催化已成为有前景的策略，可以有效地为这些问题提供实用的解决方案。这些策略因其光电、物理化学、绿色、经济、通用、高效、环保和易于操作等特性而在其他策略中占据主导地位。传统的半导体光催化剂具有禁带宽度大、载流子快速复合、非选择性和稳定性等局限性。然而，助催化剂与半导体材料的偶联可以弥补并克服这些挑战。在二维 (2D) 助催化剂中，MXene 因其独特的性质而展现出巨大的潜力，这使得它们成为广泛应用的绝佳材料。在这篇综述中，详细探讨了 MXene 合成的各种创新策略，包括氟基和无氟方法。此外，还应用综合方法深入讨论了 MXene 的蚀刻机制、表面终止控制、插层和分层机制。本综述还讨论了 MXene 的毒性和有前景的抗菌特性。 MXenes 在能源应用中发挥着多方面的作用，显示出其在清洁和可持续能源技术、环境修复和生物医学领域的潜力。最后，我们总结了当前的趋势、挑战和未来可能的前景，为多个学科的研究人员提供了宝贵的见解。