Designing advanced anode materials via regulating accumulation of cobalt ions in polystyrene nanoparticles enriched in Pistia stratiotes

Abstract

Nano-plastics and metal pollution are environmental problems that need to be solved urgently. However, there are few studies on the simultaneous treatment of nano-plastics and metal ions, and there are very few reports on the recycling and reutilizing of these pollutants. Based on our original work of bioabsorbable fabrication, we use nano-polystyrene to regulate the absorption of cobalt ions by Pistia stratiotes, and obtain electrode materials with excellent electrochemical performance. The absorption mechanism is explored. Furthermore, this work can not only degrade nano-polystyrene and cobalt ions in the environment, but also optimize the structural morphology, specific surface area, and graphitization degree of Pistia stratiotes-based carbon materials by using the adsorption and pyrolysis characteristics of nano-polystyrene. The presence of N, O, Co, and other heteroatoms in the composites can provide pseudo-capacitance. Combined with these positive effects, the obtained anode material of supercapacitors has excellent electrochemical performance. At 0.5 A∙g−1, the specific capacitance is 313.6 F∙g−1 in 6 M KOH. After 10, 000 cycles, the specific capacitance can still reach 241.2 F∙g−1, and the coulomb efficiency is up to 96.2 %.