The Improvement of Energy Storage Performance by Sucrose-Derived Carbon Foams via Incorporating Nitrogen Atoms.

Malgorzata Skorupska,Piotr Kamedulski,Anna Ilnicka,Jerzy P Lukaszewicz

doi:10.3390/nano11030760

Abstract

This paper addresses the problem of improving electrochemical energy storage with electrode materials obtained from common raw ingredients in a facile synthesis. In this study, we present a simple, one-pot route of synthesizing microporous carbon via a very fast reaction of sucrose and graphene (carbon source), chitosan (carbon and nitrogen source), and H3PO4. Porous carbons were successfully produced during high temperature carbonization, using nitrogen as a shielding gas. Samples were characterized using X-ray powder diffractometry, elemental analysis, N2 adsorption-desorption measurements, scanning electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. The developed carbon material possessed a high surface area, up to 1313 m2 g−1, with no chemical or physical activators used in the process. The structural parameters of the microporous carbons varied depending on the ratio of reagents and mass composition. Samples were prepared both with and without chitosan. The present synthesis route has the advantages of being a single-step approach and only involving low-cost and environmentally friendly sources of carbon. More importantly, microporous carbon was prepared without any activators and potentially offers great application in supercapacitors. Cyclic voltammetry and constant current charge–discharge tests show that sucrose-based porous carbons show excellent electrochemical performance with a specific capacitance of up to 143 F g−1 at a current density of 1 A g−1 in a 6 M KOH electrolyte.

Highlights

Fabrication of electrochemical energy storage devices greatly relies on carbon-based electrodes
Improving the efficiency of these devices will rely on new findings in the area of carbon electrode material synthesis
100 cycles, followed by a decrease in the specific capacity value, at 97% (101%) retention after 1000 cycles (Figure 6b). These results indicate that microporous, sucrose-based carbon electrodes used in supercapacitors have good stability and capacitance retention

Summary

Introduction

Fabrication of electrochemical energy storage devices (batteries and supercapacitors) greatly relies on carbon-based electrodes. Improving the efficiency of these devices will rely on new findings in the area of carbon electrode material synthesis. Solutions encompassing a wide accessibility of raw materials, acceptable market price, and facile processing are in high demand due to the need of eventual mass production. Natural materials such as biomass and carbohydrates (e.g., glucose, fructose, lactose, and cellulose), which have natural reserves, are being extensively studied as a source of carbon-based materials. Due to its uniform structure, very low price, local availability, and high chemical purity, sucrose is one of the most attractive carbon precursors. There are essentially two main approaches that can be applied to extracting carbon from sucrose, either a hydrothermal [1]

Methods

Results

Conclusion