Graphitic nanomaterials have emerged as foundational components in nanoscience owing to their exceptional electrical, mechanical, and chemical properties, which can be tuned by controlling dimensionality and structural order. From zero-dimensional (0D) quantum dots, carbon nano-onions, and nanodiamonds to one-dimensional (1D) nanoribbons, two-dimensional (2D) nanowalls, and three-dimensional (3D) graphene foams, these architectures underpin advancements in catalysis, energy storage, sensing, and electronic technologies. Among various synthesis routes, chemical vapor deposition (CVD) provides unmatched versatility, enabling atomic-level control over carbon supply, substrate interactions, and plasma activation to produce well defined graphitic structures directly on functional supports. This review presents a comprehensive, dimension-resolved overview of CVD-derived graphitic nanomaterials, examining how process parameters such as precursor chemistry, temperature, hydrogen etching, and template design govern nucleation, crystallinity, and morphological evolution across 0D to 3D hierarchies. Comparative analyses of Raman, XPS, and XRD data are integrated to relate structural features with growth mechanisms and functional performance. By connecting mechanistic principles across dimensional scales, this review establishes a unified framework for understanding and optimizing CVD synthesis of graphitic nanostructures. It concludes by outlining a path forward for improving how CVD-grown carbon nanomaterials are made, monitored, and integrated into real devices so these can move from lab-scale experiments to practical, scalable technologies.

Electrochemical water splitting is a promising route for sustainable hydrogen generation, but its progress is constrained by sluggish kinetics and the scarcity of cost-effective bifunctional catalysts. While transition metal chalcogenides have been widely studied, chromium chalcogenides remain underexplored, particularly for water splitting. In this work, we address this gap by synthesizing chromium sulfide, selenide, and telluride nanoparticles (Cr₂S₃, Cr₂Se₃, Cr₂Te₃) through solvo- and hydrothermal methods and systematically assessing their activity for both hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions. Structural, morphological, and surface characterizations (XRD, SEM/TEM, Raman, and XPS) confirm well crystalline nanoscale particles, while electrochemical evaluation reveals Cr₂S₃ as the most active, requiring only 228.5 mV for OER and 93 mV for HER at 10 mA cm ⁻ ². It also exhibits the lowest charge transfer resistance and stable operation over 24 h. These findings establish chromium chalcogenides as a promising platform for advancing non-noble bifunctional catalysts in integrated water splitting technologies.

Hollow graphitic nanoshells (HGSs) are widely investigated as battery materials because their conductive shells and internal voids can simultaneously influence ion transport, electron percolation, and mechanical stress accommodation. Yet, the field remains largely morphology-driven, with performance often attributed generically to “hollowness” rather than to structural parameters. This review examines HGSs from a parameter-oriented perspective. It highlights key structural features, including graphitization degree, shell thickness, cavity size, pore architecture, and defect or dopant chemistry. These features collectively shape electrochemical behavior. We discuss how these features influence transport kinetics, interphase stability, volumetric efficiency, and mechanical resilience across insertion, metal anode, multivalent, solid-state, and halogen chemistries. Major synthesis approaches, including hard-templated, soft-templated, self-templated, and biomass-derived routes, are evaluated based on the structural control they provide and the influence of synthesis conditions on shell architecture, graphitic ordering, and pore structure. Special attention is given to how these structural features develop during processing and how they affect ion accessibility, conductivity, and stability. Finally, we outline a shift toward quantitative, parameter-driven engineering supported by operando diagnostics, electrode-level modeling, and standardized reporting. HGSs will only achieve practical relevance when structural optimization extends beyond particle morphology to transport uniformity, interfacial stability, network connectivity, and life-cycle responsibility.