Recent advances, properties, fabrication and opportunities in two-dimensional materials for their potential sustainable applications

•An overview has been depicted on variety of different configurations and characteristics of elemental two-dimensional (2D) materials.•A detail discussion has been demonstrated on 2D materials for its potential sustainable applications.•A descriptive summary illustrated the developing processes and synthesized building components of 2D materials with various characteristics and design pattern.•Significant shortcomings, potential strategies and future challenges about 2D materials have been evaluated.