  Energy demands of modern society require efficient means of energy conversion
and storage. Nanocarbons have been identified as versatile materials which
combine many desirable properties, allowing them to be used in electrochemical
power sources, from electrochemical capacitors to fuel cells. Efficient
production of nanocarbons requires innovative and scalable approaches which
allow for tuning of their physical and chemical properties. Carbonization of
polymeric nanostructures has been demonstrated as a promising approach for
production of high-performance nanocarbons with desired morphology and variable
surface chemical properties. These materials have been successfully used as
active electrode materials in electrochemical capacitors, as electrocatalysts
or catalyst supports. Moreover, these materials are often found as parts of
composite electrode materials where they play very important role in boosting
materials performance. In this contribution we shall review developments in the
field of application of polymer-derived nanocarbons for electrochemical energy
conversion and storage applications, covering the last decade. Primary focus
will be on polyaniline and polypyrrole but carbons derived from other polymers
will also be mentioned. We shall emphasize the link between the physical and
chemical properties of nanocarbons and their performance in electrochemical
power sources with an attempt to derive general guidelines for further
development of new materials with improved performances.
