Carbon-based nanomaterials: synthesis, types and fuel applications: a mini-review

Abstract Carbon is one of the most abundant minerals in the universe. The world’s energy needs are being unmet due to the exponential rise in population. Since its inception 20 years ago, carbon and its allotropes, including fullerenes, carbon nanotubes, and graphene, have been marketed as potential energy storage and generation materials. By solving important issues like accumulation and inadequate thermodynamic compatibility, carbon fiber, expanded graphite, and carbon nanotubes are promising functional materials that can be used to improve the performance of bipolar plates further. There are several potential uses for carbon-based nanomaterials (CBNMs) in the energy area. This mini-review provides an overview of the synthetic routes employed for producing CBNMs, categorizing them based on their types, elucidating their diverse applications in fuel energy systems, and emphasising the uses of CBNMs in energy. The advantages and disadvantages of several synthetic processes have been examined and compared. The types of CBNMs, like carbon nanotubes, graphene, carbon dots, and fullerenes, are explored in terms of their unique structural properties and fabrication methods. Furthermore, the utilization of CBNMs in fuel energy systems, such as fuel cells, energy storage devices, and catalysis, is comprehensively reviewed.