Strategic designing of carbon dots with tailorable properties and their composites for supercapacitors and secondary batteries

초록

The scientific community has shown tremendous interest in carbon dots (CDs) and their composite materials due to the distinctive photo physicochemical characteristics and prospective utilization in various optoelectrical and electrochemical domains. The strategic design and innovative fabrication of CD-based nanostructures utilized as electrode components for energy storage have been extensively investigated in the last decade. CDs offer various advantages such as facile synthesis process, abundant precursor, low cost, less toxicity, large specific surface area, abundant electron-electron hole pairs, customizable heteroatoms doping, and plentiful surface functionalities. However, the inherent electrical conductivity of CDs is not the primary advantage due to their 0D nature. They do not function as independent conductive networks. Consequently, CDs frequently act as interfacial regulators or functional modifiers to increase the energy and power density of supercapacitors and secondary batteries. In order to control interfaces, optimize charge transfer kinetics, add redox active sites, and improve electrolyte wettability and accessibility, CDs must be coupled with conductive hosts. In this aspect, there is still more to explore regarding the functions and roles of CDs as electrode components in improving electrochemical performance. This article comprehensively focuses on the systematic strategic design, synthesis, fundamental properties, electrochemistry, and advantages of numerous categories of CDs and their composites as electrode materials of supercapacitors, and secondary batteries (Li-ion batteries, Na-ion batteries, Li-S batteries, Zn-ion batteries, and K-ion batteries). The significant aspect of CDs and their composite nanostructures has been outlined in terms of energy storage applications and probable advancement perspectives, to aid future research and innovation.

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