Structure and Interface Modification of Carbon Dots for Electrochemical Energy Application

• Published in: Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany) Germany), 2021-10, Vol.17 (40), p.e2102091-n/a
• Main Authors: Cheng, Ruiqi, Xiang, Yinger, Guo, Ruiting, Li, Lin, Zou, Guoqiang, Fu, Chaopeng, Hou, Hongshuai, Ji, Xiaobo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: batteries; Carbon; Carbon dots; carbon dot‐based composites; electrocatalysis; Electrocatalysts; Electron transfer; Energy storage; Fluorescence; Functional groups; Nanomaterials; Nanotechnology; Storage batteries
• ISSN: 1613-6810; 1613-6829
• DOI: 10.1002/smll.202102091

Carbon dots (CDs) as new nanomaterials have attracted much attention in recent years due to their unique characteristics. Notably, structure and interface modification (carbon core, edge, defects, and functional groups) of CDs have been considered as valid methods to regulate their properties, which contain electron transfer effect, electrochemical activity, fluorescence luminescent, and so on. Additionally, CDs with ultrasmall size, excellent dispersibility, high specific surface area, and abundant functional groups can guarantee positive and extraordinary effects in electrical energy storage and conversion. Therefore, CDs are used to couple with other materials by constructing a special interface structure to enhance their properties. Here, diverse structural and interfacial modifications of CDs with various heteroatoms and synergy effects are systematically analyzed. And not only several main syntheses of CDs‐based composites (CDs/X) are summarized but also the merit and demerit of CDs/X in electrical energy storage are discussed. Finally, the applications of CDs/X in energy storage devices (supercapacitors, batteries) and electrocatalysts for practical applications are discussed. This review mainly provides a comprehensive summary and future prospect for synthesis, modification, and electrochemical applications of CDs. Carbon dots (CDs) open a new avenue for regulating properties due to abundant defects, functional groups, and so on, which show great effects in electrical energy storage and electrochemical catalysis. In this review, three key points related to CDs are presented in detail: structure and interface modification of CDs, original syntheses of CDs composites (CDs/X), and their applications.