journal article·2026-04

Synergistic Strategies for High‐Energy Carbon Supercapacitors: A Comprehensive Review of Nanostructure, Doping, Composite, and Electrolyte Engineering

Syed Shaheen Shah, Manisha Das, Takaya Ogawa, Asif Ali, Laiq Zada, Sana Ullah, Zafar Said, Muhammad Usman, Adnan Younis, Md. Abdul Aziz, Munetaka Oyama

Batteries & Supercaps· Volume 9· Issue 4
Publisher page

Abstract

Carbon‐based supercapacitors provide high power, fast charging, and long cycle life, yet limited energy density remains the main bottleneck. This review integrates complementary strategies that enhance energy storage without sacrificing rate capability or durability. Nanostructure engineering tunes hierarchical porosity, pore‐size to ion‐size matching, and surface curvature to maximize ion accessibility and shorten transport paths. Heteroatoms doping introduces fast surface redox, improves electronic structure and wettability, and stabilizes interfacial chemistry. Composite architectures that couple carbon with pseudocapacitive phases, including metal oxides, conducting polymers, MXenes, and MOF‐derived materials, build percolated electron and ion pathways and mitigate mechanical degradation. Electrolyte optimization expands voltage and kinetics through water‐in‐salt formulations, gel polymer and solid‐state media, and bio‐derived electrolytes, with attention to desolvation, viscosity, and thermal tolerance. Emphasis is placed on the electrolyte‐electrode interface, including ion confinement, interphase growth, and charge compensation mechanisms. An interaction‐aware framework integrates pore architecture, doping chemistry, composite selection, and electrolyte design to propose design rules and performance trade‐offs. Remaining gaps include operando diagnostics at relevant length scales, scalable synthesis with narrow property variance, aging models that link microstructure to failure, and sustainability metrics. Prospects center on high‐energy, durable carbon supercapacitors for electric vehicles and renewable grid buffering.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline

Research context

OpenAlex topics: Supercapacitor Materials and Fabrication · Advancements in Battery Materials · MXene and MAX Phase Materials

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Socio‐Environmental Energy Science Department Graduate School of Energy Science Kyoto University Yoshida‐honmachi, Sakyo‐ku Kyoto 606‐8501 Japan

Department of Applied Chemistry Graduate School of Science and Engineering Doshisha University Kyoto Japan

International College University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100049 P. R. China

Institute for Fiber Engineering & Science (IFES) Research Cluster for Social Implementation (RCSI) Shinshu University Tokida 3‐15‐1 Ueda 386‐8567 Nagano Japan

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department College of Engineering United Arab Emirates University Al Ain 15551 UAE

Interdisciplinary Research Center for Hydrogen Technologies and Carbon Management (IRC‐HTCM) King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals Dhahran 31261 Saudi Arabia

Department of Physics United Arab Emirates University Al Ain 15551 UAE

Department of Material Chemistry Graduate School of Engineering Kyoto University Nishikyo‐ku Kyoto 615‐8520 Japan

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