Preparation and Electrochemical Performance of N/S-Modified Mesoporous Carbon

Abstract

Modifying mesoporous carbon using a single additive, i.e., thiourea, as a source of both sulfur and nitrogen, is a flexible strategy for improving electrochemical activity. In this study, sulfur and nitrogen were successfully introduced into the mesoporous carbon framework through a simple self-assembly process induced by solvent volatilization. The prepared nitrogen/sulfur co-doped mesoporous carbon (N/S-MC) material had a high specific surface area (406.64 m2·g−1) and heteroatom content (8.75 at.% nitrogen and 0.34 at.% sulfur). As a potential supercapacitor electrode material, it possessed a high specific capacitance of 230 F·g−1, which was measured using a three-electrode system at a current density of 0.5 A·−1. The electrochemical double-layer capacitor (EDLC) performance of N/S-MC enhanced significantly, compared with that of pure mesoporous carbon, owing to its increased reactivity and improved electrical properties, thereby making it more suitable for electronic power applications.