Roles of molecular structure of carbon-based materials in energy storage

The versatile structure and diverse morphology have made carbon favorable electrode material for energy storage. Because carbon has been extensively investigated, data have become available to establish the relationship between molecular structure, morphology, and electrochemical performance. The paper provides a comprehensive review of carbon materials focusing on those aspects to provide a reference for a viable carbon electrode material. Through the collection and analysis of more than 250 peer-reviewed papers, this discussion includes synthesis strategies for carbon materials and the thermodynamics and kinetics of the resultant electrodes. This manuscript reveals insights into how the structure and morphology impacts specific capacitance, energy, power, and electrode retention. Significant opportunities exist in the design and synthesis stages of carbon electrodes to engineer their structural and morphological aspects for improved performance.