Recent advances in micro-/nano-structured hollow spheres for energy applications: From simple to complex systems

TLDR

Hollow micro‑/nano‑structured materials are key innovations for energy conversion and storage, promising cleaner power sources amid rising global demand. The perspective demonstrates that complex multi‑shelled micro‑/nano‑materials provide significant advantages over conventional simple hollow structures. The authors summarize diverse synthetic strategies for creating multi‑shelled hollow structures and discuss their potential for power generation and storage. These multi‑shelled structures deliver material advantages in many applications, while also highlighting emergent challenges and future development needs.

Abstract

Hollow micro-/nano-structured materials are now playing an important role in cutting edge innovations for energy conversion and storage technologies such as solar cells, fuel cells, lithium ion batteries and super capacitors. These materials show great promise in addressing growing environmental concerns for cleaner power sources at a time of increasing global demand for energy. In this perspective, we show that complex multi-shelled micro-/nano-materials show significant material advantages in many applications over conventional simple hollow structures. We also summarize the vast array of synthetic strategies used to create multi-shelled hollow structures, and discuss the possible application of these novel materials for power generation and storage. Finally, the emergent challenges and future developments of multi-shelled hollow structures are further discussed.