Tailoring carbon nanostructures for energy applications

Abstract

Carbon nanostructures have become one of the most exciting and rapidly expanding research topics since the discoveries of fullerene and carbon nanotubes. In particular, carbon nanotubes, graphene, and mesoporous carbons are the most important classes of carbon nanostructures in terms of synthesis and practical applications. Due to their excellent chemical, physical, mechanical, and electrical properties, carbon nanostructures have been considered as promising candidate materials for energy devices. Therefore, it is important to summarize and review the previous research on carbon nanomaterials in energy storage, conversion, and generation. Herein, the typical fabrication procedures for carbon nanostructures, and the characteristics and performances of those carbon nanomaterials as major components in energy devices are briefly described. The wet-type approaches to carbon nanomaterials are discussed extensively because the chemical vapor deposition and template methods have already been reported frequently. In addition, recent research on the improvement of batteries, capacitors, and solar cells will be concisely reviewed.