Engineered Carbon Dots as Multifunctional Nanoplatforms for Next‐Generation High‐Performance Advanced Batteries

ABSTRACT Carbon dots (CDs), an emerging class of zero‐dimensional carbon materials, have attracted considerable attention in advanced batteries due to their unique combination of electron transport efficiency and structural adaptability. Previous studies have demonstrated that CDs can significantly improve the cycling stability, rate capability, and other critical battery parameters through mechanisms such as the formation of heterogeneous interfaces and the provision of active sites. However, the fundamental mechanisms governing the interactions of CDs with key battery components remain unelucidated, hindering their tailored design and cross‐system applicability. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the classification and preparation approaches for CDs, with a particular focus on optimizing battery performance through precise control of size, morphology, surface functionalization, and heteroatom doping. Additionally, the review explores the applications of CDs in key battery components, such as electrodes, electrolytes, and separators, across both mainstream and emerging battery systems, including lithium‐ion, sodium‐ion, potassium‐ion, and aqueous zinc‐ion batteries. Finally, we summarize the challenges and opportunities for integrating CDs into advanced batteries, providing valuable insights for the development of tailored CD‐based materials to optimize their integration into diverse battery systems.