Although high-surface-area activated carbons have been widely used for supercapacitors, they usually have limited capacitive and rate performances primarily because of the low conductivity and sluggish electrochemical kinetics caused by their amorphous microporous structure. Here, we report a simple strategy to boost the electrochemical performance of activated carbons by embedding highly crystallized graphene quantum dots. Benefiting from the formation of the overall conductive networks, the charge-transfer and ion migration kinetics of the activated carbon are significantly improved, facilitating electrolyte ion transport and storage in deep and branched micropores. As a result, the graphene quantum dot embedded activated carbon, possessing a microporous structure with a specific surface area of 2829 m² g⁻¹, achieves a remarkably high electric double-layer capacitance of 388 F g⁻¹ at 1 A g⁻¹ as well as excellent rate performance with 60% capacitance retention at 100 A g⁻¹ in a two-electrode system. The capacitive and rate performances are much higher than not only those of the activated carbon without graphene quantum dots, but also those of most porous carbons reported in the literatures. This strategy provides a new route for designing advanced porous carbon materials for high performance energy storage.

A novel single organic molecule–carborane conjugate, CAN, was synthesized in a high yield via a modified nickel-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction incorporating an anthracene unit and an o-carborane moiety. CAN exhibits multiple functions of tricolored mechanochromism and mechanically triggered thermochromism. The fluorescence could be switched from blue to bright yellow then to pink by grinding. The robust and reversible thermochromic process was triggered by the mechanical force. The locally excited (LE) state emission, intermolecular excimer formation and twisted intermolecular charge transfer (TICT) are the primary origins of this tricolor switching property. High temperature sensitivity of the heavily ground CAN powders contribute to the mechanical force induced TICT emission enhancement and color switching.