Publication

Abstract : Energy storage and its usage is a major problem of the twenty-first century and hence this topic is increasingly gaining attention in academic and industrial fields. The development of advanced functional materials is highly mandatory for energy generation, storage and consumption. The growth of nanotechnology and the fabrication of nano devices have totally revolutionized the energy storage arena. Hierarchical nanostructures are capable of showing advanced properties over regular nanomaterials and hence are considered as distinguished candidates. Multicomponent hierarchical nanostructures exhibit enhanced cyclic performance, high energy density, high flexibility, fast charge–discharge capability, specific capacitance and sustained cycle life, which make them suitable for high end storage applications in fuel cells, solar cells, super capacitors etc. These unique properties can be augmented by logically altering the smart design and structure. More complex and fractal forming structures like branched nanoforests with nanopores could be judiciously applied even in renewable energy storage devices. This chapter primarily focuses on the fabrication and characterization of 2D and 3D hierarchical nanostructures and their application in different energy storage devices. This chapter also tries to throw light into the immense possibilities offered by hierarchical surfaces in fine tuning the properties of nanomaterials that will positively influence the applications in nanomechanics, nanoelectronics, and nanophotonics. This chapter is highly helpful in understanding the development, advancement and problems associated with the fabrication of nanostructured energy storage devices. It also helps to rule out the associated problems and brings light into the future perspectives of hierarchical nanostructures in energy storage.