Carbonaceous hydrogels and aerogels for supercapacitors

Carbonaceous hydrogels and aerogels are a large class of gels which have received much attention due to their multifunctional properties. The three-dimensional networks and porous structure of the carbonaceous gels can provide efficient diffusion of electrolyte ions and electrons, leading to promising applications in supercapacitors. This feature article gives an overview of the recent advances in the use of novel carbonaceous gels for supercapacitors. In particular, the synthetic methods for polymer derived carbonaceous gels, carbon nanotube based carbonaceous gels, graphene based carbonaceous gels and biomass derived carbonaceous gels are introduced, and their applications for supercapacitors are systematically discussed. Perspectives for the development of neotype carbonaceous gel based electrode materials for supercapacitors are given.