Synthesis and applications of carbon nanomaterials for energy generation and storage

Marco Notarianni; Jinzhang Liu; Kristy Vernon; Nunzio Motta

doi:10.3762/bjnano.7.17

Synthesis and applications of carbon nanomaterials for energy generation and storage

Beilstein J Nanotechnol. 2016 Feb 1:7:149-96. doi: 10.3762/bjnano.7.17. eCollection 2016.

Authors

Marco Notarianni¹, Jinzhang Liu², Kristy Vernon³, Nunzio Motta³

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Future Environments and School of Chemistry, Physics, and Mechanical Engineering, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane QLD 4001, Australia; Plasma-Therm LLC, 10050 16th St. North, St. Petersburg, FL 33716, USA.
² School of Materials Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China.
³ Institute of Future Environments and School of Chemistry, Physics, and Mechanical Engineering, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane QLD 4001, Australia.

Abstract

The world is facing an energy crisis due to exponential population growth and limited availability of fossil fuels. Over the last 20 years, carbon, one of the most abundant materials found on earth, and its allotrope forms such as fullerenes, carbon nanotubes and graphene have been proposed as sources of energy generation and storage because of their extraordinary properties and ease of production. Various approaches for the synthesis and incorporation of carbon nanomaterials in organic photovoltaics and supercapacitors have been reviewed and discussed in this work, highlighting their benefits as compared to other materials commonly used in these devices. The use of fullerenes, carbon nanotubes and graphene in organic photovoltaics and supercapacitors is described in detail, explaining how their remarkable properties can enhance the efficiency of solar cells and energy storage in supercapacitors. Fullerenes, carbon nanotubes and graphene have all been included in solar cells with interesting results, although a number of problems are still to be overcome in order to achieve high efficiency and stability. However, the flexibility and the low cost of these materials provide the opportunity for many applications such as wearable and disposable electronics or mobile charging. The application of carbon nanotubes and graphene to supercapacitors is also discussed and reviewed in this work. Carbon nanotubes, in combination with graphene, can create a more porous film with extraordinary capacitive performance, paving the way to many practical applications from mobile phones to electric cars. In conclusion, we show that carbon nanomaterials, developed by inexpensive synthesis and process methods such as printing and roll-to-roll techniques, are ideal for the development of flexible devices for energy generation and storage - the key to the portable electronics of the future.

Keywords: carbon; carbon nanotubes; current collector; energy; fullerenes; gold nanoparticles; graphene; nanomaterials; organic solar cells; plasmonic structures; supercapacitors; thin films.

Publication types

Review