In today’s world, carbon-based materials research is much wider wherein, it requires a lot of processing techniques to manufacture or synthesize. Moreover, the processing methods through which the carbon-based materials are derived from synthetic sources are of high cost. Processing of such hierarchical porous carbon materials (PCMs) was slightly complex and only very few methods render carbon nano-materials (CNMs) with high specific surface area. Once it is processed, which paves a path to versatile applications. CNMs derived from biological sources are widespread and their application spectrum is also very wide. This review focuses on biomass-derived CNMs from various plant sources for its versatile applications. The major thrust areas of energy storage include batteries, super-capacitors, and fuel cells which are described in this article. Meanwhile, the challenges faced during the processing of biomass-derived CNMs and their future prospects are also discussed comprehensively.

Carbon lives along with us in our daily life and has a vital role to play. It is present in the air and within all living organisms. Due to its handheld advantage in nano-properties that are utilized in many applications, carbon substrates came under limelight during the recent decades. Carbon substrates are most widely used in cancer detection, catalysis, bio-sensing, adsorption, drug delivery, carbon capture, hydrogen storage, and energy. Alongside, composite materials with carbon as an additive are also developing rapidly in applications like infrastructures, automobile, health care, consumer goods, etc. which became an integral chunk of our life. In this paper different types of carbon substrates and its applications, properties of the substrates were reviewed. The applications and methods of synthesis of carbon substrates are also dealt with a broad perspective.