Recent advances in carbon nanostructures prepared from carbon dioxide for high-performance supercapacitors

Abstract

The utilization of CO 2 into advanced carbon-based materials for high-performance supercapacitor electrodes can contribute to the recycling of greenhouse gas and promotion of sustainable energy storage devices. This review summarizes the latest preparation technologies for carbon materials by CO 2 conversion toward energy storage applications. The burgeoning global economy during the past decades gives rise to the continuous increase in fossil fuels consumption and rapid growth of CO 2 emission, which demands an urgent exploration into green and sustainable devices for energy storage and power management. Supercapacitors based on activated carbon electrodes are promising systems for highly efficient energy harvesting and power supply, but their promotion is hindered by the moderate energy density compared with batteries. Therefore, scalable conversion of CO 2 into novel carbon nanostructures offers a powerful alternative to tackle both issues: mitigating the greenhouse effect caused by redundant atmospheric CO 2 and providing carbon materials with enhanced electrochemical performances. In this tutorial review, the techniques, opportunities and barriers in the design and fabrication of advanced carbon materials using CO 2 as feedstock as well as their impact on the energy-storage performances of supercapacitors are critically examined. In particular, the chemical aspects of various CO 2 conversion reactions are highlighted to establish a detailed understanding for the science and technology involved in the microstructural evolution, surface engineering and porosity control of CO 2 -converted carbon nanostructures. Finally, the prospects and challenges associated with the industrialization of CO 2 conversion and their practical application in supercapacitors are also discussed.