Synthesis and applications of carbon nanospheres: A review

The synthesis of carbon nanospheres has developed rapidly in recent years and they are used widely owing to the tunability of their porous structures and surface properties, and the unique hydrodynamic advantages conferred by their spherical structures. This review summarizes the methods used to synthesize carbon nanospheres, and their application in various fields. The review first describes the four main methods of carbon nanosphere synthesis, i.e., the template, spray-drying, hydrothermal carbonization, and Stöber methods. Next, applications in the fields of energy storage, adsorption, biological medicine, and catalysis are expounded. Finally, some insights on the development and design of carbon nanospheres are presented.