Polymer photosupercapacitors: combined nanoarchitectonics with polymer solar cell and supercapacitor for emerging powerpacks in next-generation energy applications

Efficient energy harvesting and storage are inevitable for the sustenance and growth of mankind, wherein the utilization of advanced technologies in this field has brought a significant impact on the energy sector. Integration of energy harvesting and storage devices is a need for powering next-generation energy needs like the Internet of Things (IoT), opening a wide range of application areas like wearable devices or integration with fabrics. Among third-generation solar cells, organic or polymer solar cells are extremely environment-friendly, lightweight, and flexible, making themselves potential candidates for integrated powerpacks along with supercapacitors. This article is a comprehensive review of polymer solar cell-based photosupercapacitors and their developments over the recent years. Through this review, we intend to give a valid account of polymer photosupercapacitors, to the scientific community regarding recent updates, which would help develop future approaches and strategies. As these integrated devices are considered to have a profound impact on energy industries and related applications, we believe that a detailed review of the present status and future prospects would aid further developments in the research field.