One-Dimensional Nanocarbon for Electrochemical Energy Applications

The storage and generation of energy through sustainable ways is one of the top priorities of modern society to lead to a more sustainable future. For that, there is focused research directed at optimizing energy storage devices such as supercapacitors and batteries and energy generation devices such as fuel cells. Some of the most notable materials that are utilized as electrode components are nanocarbon-based materials. This chapter is focused on the uses of 1D carbon-based nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes (CNT), carbon nanofibers (CNF), carbon nanoribbons (CNR) along with the derivative structures from these nanomaterials. The discussion is focused on the field of energy storage and generation. For that, an introductory section covers the concepts and aspects of 1D carbon nanomaterials. Following that, a discussion regarding the main synthetical methods is provided. The third section is subdivided into three topics related to the application of 1D carbon nanomaterials in the development of electrodes for energy storage devices (i.e., supercapacitors and batteries) and energy generation (i.e., fuel cells). The discussion is conducted through recent works from the literature. Through that, the reader can understand the main nuances and aspects that influence the properties of 1D carbon nanomaterials which can assist in the development of novel ideas. Lastly, an outlook is provided that summarizes the main goals and current challenges related to the use of 1D carbon nanomaterials.