Abstract
In this paper we report the synthesis of a N, S co-doped metal free carbon cryogel obtained from a marine biomass derived precursor using urea as nitrogen source. Natural carrageenan intrinsically contains S and inorganic salt. The latter also serves as an activating agent during the pyrolytic step. The overall 11.6 atomic % surface heteroatom concentration comprises 5% O, 4.6% N and 1% S. The purified and annealed final carbon (CA) has a hierarchical pore structure of micro-, meso- and macropores with an apparent surface area of 1070 m2/g. No further treatment was applied. The gas adsorption potential of the samples was probed with H2, CO2 and CH4, while the electrocatalytic properties were tested in an oxygen reduction reaction. The atmospheric CO2 and CH4 storage capacity at 0 °C in the low pressure range is very similar to that of HKUST-1, with the CO2/CH4 selectivity below 20 bar, even exceeding that of the MOF, indicating the potential of CA in biogas separation. The electrocatalytic behavior was assessed in an aqueous KOH medium. The observed specific gravimetric capacitance 377 F/g was exceeded only in B, N dual doped and/or graphene doped carbons from among metal free electrode materials. The CA electrode displays almost the same performance as a commercial 20 wt% Pt/C electrode. The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) exhibits the 4-electron mechanism. The 500-cycle preliminary stability test showed only a slight increase of the surface charge.
Highlights
A sustainable answer to the continuously growing demand for new carbon sources in energy storage or energy conversion applications lies in the exploitation of the potential of renewable biomass
In this paper we report the synthesis of a N, S co-doped carbon aerogel obtained from marine biomass
A highly porous nanostructured carbon material was obtained from a marine biomass—
Summary
A sustainable answer to the continuously growing demand for new carbon sources in energy storage or energy conversion applications lies in the exploitation of the potential of renewable biomass. The various species of carrageenans, like other natural carbon precursors, have the advantage that they contain heteroatoms that are preserved as dopants in the developing carbon matrix. Their inorganic salt content is beneficial during their conversion to highly porous carbon, and plays similar roles as chemical activating agents, e.g., KOH [6]. The catalytic role played by inorganic salts in pyrolysis has been recently discussed by Zhao et al [7] Another marine biomass, green algae, was used recently as a precursor for carbon materials with high electrocatalytic activity by Ilnicka et al [8]. For its wide commercial application, its conversion to activated carbon offers a way to reduce the volume of solid polymer waste [9]
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