Carbon nanohorns-coated microfibers for use as free-standing electrodes for electrochemical power sources

We report the first direct laser based synthesis of carbon nanohorns onto carbon microfibrous, for the straightforward fabrication, of free-standing (binderless) electrodes. These carbon nanohorns have diameters as small as 2–4 nm and were found to cover uniformly the microfibrous substrates. The carbon nanohorns-based electrodes developed here are shown to open new prospects for the development of advanced electrochemical power sources. In particular, their possible applications in either lithium-ion batteries or supercapacitors or fuel cell technologies are demonstrated.