Colloidal carbon sphere nanoreactors have been explored extensively as a class of versatile materials for various applications in energy storage, electrochemical conversion, and catalysis, due to their unique properties such as excellent electrical conductivity, high specific surface area, controlled porosity and permeability, and surface functionality. This review has summarized the advances on colloidal carbon spheres from their synthetic and modification strategies to the various applications. Advanced Materials, 2019, 1903886.
Various synthetic strategies are first discussed, including the hard template method, the soft template method, hydrothermal carbonization, the microemulsion polymerization method and extension of the Stöber method. In the following section, the functionalization of colloidal carbon sphere nanoreactors, including the nanoengineering of compositions and the surface features is then discussed. Afterward, the recent progress in the major applications of colloidal carbon sphere nanoreactors was presented, in the areas of energy storage, electrochemical conversion and catalysis. Finally, the perspectives and challenges are discussed for future developments in terms of controlled synthesis and functionalization of the colloidal carbon sphere nanoreactors with tunable structure, and the composition and properties that are desirable for practical applications.
