Ultrafast synthesis of highly graphitized carbon foams through water explosion method

Abstract

In recent years, carbon foams have attracted considerable attention due to their distinctive physical and chemical properties, including high specific surface area, excellent electrical conductivity, and robust chemical stability, which render them highly suitable for applications in energy storage, catalysis, and adsorption. However, conventional carbon foams are limited by low levels of graphitization and a lack of long-range structural order, restricting their use in high-performance applications. Traditional synthesis methods, such as templating, chemical activation, and hydrothermal processes, although effective in forming porous structures, are complex and inefficient. To overcome these limitations, this study introduces a novel one-step water explosion method that combines Joule heating and steam activation to synthesize highly graphitized porous carbon foam. By rapidly vaporizing intercalated water molecules between graphite layers, the method overcomes van der Waals forces, leading to the exfoliation of the material. The process, conducted under ultra-high temperatures in less than 1 ​s, produces carbon foam with high porosity, large surface area, and excellent electrochemical performance. In lithium-ion battery tests, the carbon foam exhibited a high capacity of 516.2 mAh/g at 0.1 A/g and retained 92.77 ​% of its capacity after 1100 cycles. This efficient and scalable synthesis technique offers a promising pathway for the development of advanced anode materials in energy storage applications, significantly outperforming conventional graphite-based materials.