Black phosphorus, a prospective graphene substitute for biomedical applications

2D materials have gained spectacular status across various scientific and technological disciplines owing to their exceptional unique properties. The very recent member of 2D family, Black Phosphorus monolayers, known as Phosphorene have attracted recent scientific attention since its first exfoliation and appreciable rediscovery in 2014. Compared to other 2D materials and graphene analogs, it has outstanding properties like tunable band gap, good carrier mobility, excellent ON-OFF current ratio, potent in vivo biocompatibility and non-toxic biodegradability. Although the outlook of this material seems to be a promising candidate for future biomedical technology, its practical applications are still highly challenging. Unveiling those challenges by proper characterization and functionalization makes this material a mile stone for future theranostic and biomedicine scenario. This review has given precise attention to familiarize with the unique fundamental properties of black phosphorus, which makes it an excellent platform for future biomedical applications. Also underlines various synthesis procedures applicable for BP nanosheets and quantum dot synthesis. Its various biomedical applications including biosensors, cancer therapy, imaging and photothermal/photo acoustic/photodynamic therapy, drug delivery, neuronal regeneration, 3D printing scaffold etc., are subsequently reviewed. Furthermore this review briefly focused on the toxicity of this emerging material.