Heteroatom-functionalized carbon nanoarchitectonics: Unlocking the doping effects for supercapacitor electrode design

This review focuses on the significant impact of heteroatom doping in enhancing the electronic properties and electrochemical performance of carbon materials for supercapacitors (SCs). Incorporating heteroatoms such as nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, fluorine, and boron modifies the carbon structure, creating defects and increasing active sites, which improves electronic conductivity, ion accessibility, and surface wettability and reduces ion diffusion barriers. Additionally, certain heteroatoms can participate in electrochemical reactions, further enhancing SC performance. Although research in this area is still emerging, a deeper understanding of the mechanisms behind single and multi-doping systems is essential for developing next-generation materials. Future strategies for improving heteroatom-doped carbon materials include increasing heteroatom content to enhance specific capacitance, selecting suitable heteroatoms to expand the potential window and improve energy density, utilizing advanced in situ characterization techniques, and exploring the use of these materials in cost-effective SCs. The future potential of heteroatom-doped carbon materials for SCs is promising, with their ability to improve energy density, power density, and cycling stability, making them competitive with other energy storage technologies. These advancements will be key to broadening their practical applications, including electric vehicles, portable electronics, and grid energy storage, and will contribute to more efficient, long-lasting, and environmentally friendly energy storage solutions. Heteroatom-functionalized carbons, incorporating elements like nitrogen, sulfur, boron, and phosphorus, are promising for electrochemical energy storage applications due to their unique properties as mentioned. • Heteroatom-functionalized carbons are crucial for energy storage applications. • Tuning heteroatom types and concentrations improves surface area and pore structure. • Regulating morphology through heteroatom doping enhance supercapacitor performance. • The review identifies key challenges and innovation opportunities in this rapidly evolving field.