Carbon cloth as an advanced electrode material for supercapacitors: progress and challenges

Carbon-based supercapacitors (SCs) are emerging as desirable energy storage devices because of their ultrahigh power density and long lifespan. As an inexpensive candidate, carbon cloth (CC) attracts increasing research attention as a SC electrode material taking advantage of its unique flexibility adapted to the application of wearable or flexible devices, which can hardly be achieved by other carbonaceous matrices. Yet, bare CC electrodes typically suffer from poor capacitive performance due to their relatively small surface area, low electrochemical activity, and poor porosity. In recent years, various strategies have been devoted to boosting the electrochemical properties of CC, and substantial achievements have been made. In this article, a comprehensive overview on the design and modification of CC as a high-performance electrode for SCs is presented. Some powerful approaches including chemical oxidation, electrochemical oxidation, thermal activation, plasma modification and active material loading are highlighted. Finally, the challenges and potential future directions for developing state-of-the-art CC-based SCs are also discussed.