Coal Carbon Research Articles

Detection and Characterization of Organic Gases during Coal Carbonization Using VUV-SPI-TOFMS

A VUV-SPI-TOFMS system was developed for the continuous analysis of pyrolysis gases generated during coal carbonization and aromatic molecules were detected using high-resolution quantitative techniques. Although IR spectroscopy is suitable for detecting low-molecular-weight gases present in dry distillation gas, such as CH4 and CO2, it is not sensitive to aromatic hydrocarbon gases. On the other hand, the VUV-SPI-TOFMS technique is applicable for the quantification of low-concentration gases at the ppb concentration level, including aromatic hydrocarbons, generated during coal carbonization, which entails continuous heating from room temperature to 800°C. Benzene and toluene were predominantly detected at 540–590°C in the dry distillation gas of bituminous coal having relatively low oxygen concentration, whereas gases containing OH groups, such as phenol and cresol, are predominantly generated from sub-bituminous coal and lignite with high oxygen concentrations. Solid 13C NMR spectra obtained for each natural coal sample exhibited substantial proportions of oxygen bound to aromatic carbons (aromatic–O) in young coals. The temperature range at which cyclohexane was generated was found to be lower than that of aromatic molecules, indicating that coals releasing it may exhibit a structure that is more susceptible to thermal decomposition.

Artificial Coalification of Orange Peel for Extraction of Value Added Chemicals

Waste to value added products is the aim of circular economy. Typical waste to value processes such as composting, briquetting, digestion are time consuming and gasification, and pyrolysis only produces energy. In the present research, a thermochemical process called as hydrothermal carbonization process is used to convert the organic wet waste to useful products. The HTC process converts the organic wet waste into coal like high carbon content material called hydrochar and the liquid component called as biocrude. The biocrude is a mixture of chemicals such as 5-HMF, Levulinic acid, Furfural and other chemicals used in pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry. Orange peel waste is processed in a HTC reactor in temperatures ranging between 180 to 220 o C, with the autogenous pressure. The calorific value of hydrochar produced is measured using bomb calorimeter, and is found to have enhancement over the feedstock. The biocrude is analysed using UV spectrometer and gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy to identify the components present. Compounds including anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial molecules are identified and reported.

Preliminary Study of Preheated Decarburized Activated Coal Gangue-Based Cemented Paste Backfill Material

This study proposes a novel idea of the use of coal gangue (CG) activation and preheated decarburized activated coal CG-based cemented paste backfill material (PCCPB) to realize green mining. PCCPB was prepared with preheated decarburized coal CG (PCG), FA, activator, low-dose cement, and water. This idea realized scale disposal and resource utilization of coal CG solid waste. Decarbonization and activation of CG crushed the material to less than 8 mm by preheated combustion technology at a combustion temperature of 900 °C and a decarbonization activation time of 4 min. The mechanism of the effect of different Na2SO4 dosages on the performance of PCCPB was investigated using comprehensive tests (including mechanical property tests, microscopic tests, and leaching toxicity tests). The results show that the uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) of C-S2, C-S3, and C-S4 can meet the requirements of backfill mining, among which the UCS of C-S3 with a curing time of 3 d and 28 d were 0.545 MPa and 4.312 MPa, respectively. Na2SO4 excites PCCPB at different curing time, and the UCS of PCCPB increases and then decreases with the increase in Na2SO4 dosage, and 3% of Na2SO4 had the best excitation effect on the late strength (28 d) of PCCPB. All groups' (control and CS1-CS4 groups) leachate heavy metal ions met the requirements of groundwater class III standard, and PCCPB had a positive effect on the stabilization/coagulation of heavy metal ions (Mn, Zn, As, Cd, Hg, Pb, Cr, Ba, Se, Mo, and Co). Finally, the microstructure of PCCPB was analyzed using FTIR, TG/DTG, XRD, and SEM. The research is of great significance to promote the resource utilization of coal CG residual carbon and realize the sustainable consumption of coal CG activation on a large scale.

Small, high temperature, wide-angle furnace for wide-angle X-ray scattering

Wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) based upon synchrotron radiation is ideal for the in situ study of crystal structural changes during heating at high temperatures. This contribution describes a small furnace for in situ WAXS. The furnace has a wide coverage of scattered/diffracted angle from 0 to 135°, heats samples from room temperature to 1000 °C at 20 °C/min, and is suitable for in situ WAXS and radial distribution function of materials. Temperature calibration and safety verification are provided. The use of the furnace is demonstrated by in situ WAXS for the carbonization of bituminous coal.

An innovative method for carbonization and activation of low-rank coal via a self-sustaining counter-current combustion process and its reinforcement strategy

Gradation and quality utilization of low-rank coal is promising. In this study, a special counter-current combustion process, characterized by a combustion front traversing the bed against the air supply direction, was innovatively proposed to achieve the carbonization and activation of low-rank coal. This combustion process was first analysed experimentally in a fixed bed test rig. At an air equivalence ratio as low as 0.25, this combustion process was of a front temperature of 889 °C and self-sustainedly traversed the fuel bed at a propagating rate of 0.33 m/h. Accompanied by its propagation, about 82.5% of volatile matter inside the coal was removed. Due to different reaction phases inside the bed, the solids were in-situ activated by self-produced active components. Based on this, intensification experiments of carbonization and activation were carried out in a moving bed test rig. By moving the bed, the heat transfer near the combustion front tended to a quasi-equilibrium state and the residence time of the solids in the high temperature zone was greatly prolonged. The carbonization and activation effects on the solids were promoted. The carbonization effect almost approached the limit because the removal ratio of volatile matter inside the coal was as high as 98.4%. When external heating and active substances intervened, activation reactions of the solids (namely, C–H2O and C–CO2) were intensified in the char reaction phase. The specific surface area and pore volume of the activated char increased up to 594 m2/g and 0.371 cm3/g. Correspondingly, its adsorption values of iodine and methylene blue were 732 and 76 mg/g. This work provides a technical solution for the in-situ high-quality utilization of low-rank coal.

Coal gasification fine slag residual carbon decorated with hollow-spherical Fe3O4 nanoparticles for microwave absorption

Reasonable design and optimization of the dielectric and magnetic properties of materials are important to achieve excellent electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption capacities. Residual carbon (RC) derived from coal gasification fine slag-loaded hollow-spherical Fe3O4 nanoparticles (Fe3O4 NPs@RC) was synthesized via hydrothermal strategy. The chemical compositions, morphologies, structures, and electromagnetic parameters of the as-prepared RC and Fe3O4 NPs@RC revealed that the phase components (RC and Fe3O4 phases) and microstructure (hollow spherical and micro/nano blocks) were well modified by modulating the content of Fe3O4. Such modifications result in variations in the hierarchical structure, defects, electromagnetic parameters, and EMW absorption performance. The Fe3O4 NPs@RC composites (S1 and S2) exhibited superior EMW absorption capacity. The binary composite with an additive amount of FeCl3·6H2O of 2.66 g (S2) exhibited the minimum reflection loss (RLmin) of −32.6 dB at 2.0 mm and a broad absorption bandwidth (fe, RL less than −10 dB) of 4.64 GHz at a lower thickness value of 1.65 mm under a filler content of 40%. In addition, the ultra-broad fe reached 14.35 GHz, which contained the entire Ku, X, and C bands by easily regulating the thicknesses from 1.5 mm to 5 mm. A possible EMW absorption mechanism was proposed. This study offers an effective strategy for designing novel coal gasification solid waste-based materials for high-performance absorbers.

Characteristics of Graphene Growth at Different Temperatures from the Benzene Ring Structure in Coal Tar

A large number of aromatic substances can be found in so-called coal tar (containing >10,000 individual compounds), which is a mixture of heavy liquid fractions (dense viscous black liquor, tended to solidification) obtained after the pyrolysis of coal (solid product—coke, gas products, and light liquid products are also produced during the process). Volatile monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are naturally occurring in coal tar, can be exploited as premium raw materials for the production of graphene by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Moreover, aromatic chemicals (compounds with benzene rings) can produce graphene at lower temperatures than other small-molecule gas feedstocks (for graphene growth via methane gas, the temperature must be at least 900 °C). The intermediate reaction mechanism involved in the creation of graphene from various temperature ranges of monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in benzene ring structures has long been a fascinating enigma. Accordingly, in this paper, we analyze the graphene growth pattern of benzene at different temperatures from 300 to 900 °C. For graphene synthesis in the lower temperature range (300~600 °C), analytical experiments show that benzene rings (almost) do not crack during the gas phase process. Thus, the structure of the benzene ring is directly coupled into graphene in the above temperature range. When benzene is more thoroughly transformed into tiny molecules that are deposited on the surface of copper foil at higher temperatures (700~900 °C), graphene is formed by a complex mixture of carbon sources, including gaseous small molecules (methane and ethane) and benzene. Based on the process above, we provide an alternative solution for the large-scale industrial preparation of graphene, with low energy consumption, via low-temperature synthesis of graphene by the CVD method using the coal tar carbon source at 500 °C, which is the optimal growth temperature of the benzene ring.

Analysis of Activated Carbon from Bituminous Coal as the Primary Battery Cathode Potential Using Fluoric Acid

Activated carbon can generally be made from carbon-containing materials such as coal. The activation in activated carbon synthesis has different activation mechanisms and characteristics. The objective of this study was to analyze the quality and characterization of activated carbon in bituminous coal using a fluoride (HF) activator. The research method was carried out starting from the sample preparation stage, the chemical and physical activation carbonization stage, and the stage of testing the quality of coal-activated carbon. The results showed that each test obtained a moisture content ranging from 0.7% -1.61%. Ash content has a range of values ranging from 17.51% -25.74%, while volatile matter content ranges from 20.96% - 33.97%. The bound carbon content has a range of values ranging from 20.96% -33.97%, iodine numbers range from 3995.4455-4302, 0456 mg/g (all parameters follow SNI 06-3730-1995); and the degree of crystallinity obtained from the concentrations of 3.5 M and 5 M (duplo) has a degree of crystallinity of 26.6218 and 26.6014, respectively. Bituminous coal-activated carbon activated using Hydrogen Flouride (HF) with a temperature of 800 °C has optimal characteristics at a concentration of 5 M with a moisture content of 0.84. The volatile matter content is 18.60, while the iodine absorption capacity is 4.137.0704. The short carbon chain in degrees of crystallization is at an angle of 26.6014 2θ with two diffraction peaks forming a solid crystalline pattern. The surface morphology of activated carbon produces round, neat, and slightly impurities pore with a diameter of 8.81μm.

Coal-carbon-pollutant Coordinated Control of Coal Chemical Industry Under Carbon Peak and Carbon Neutrality Constraints

Under carbon peak and carbon neutrality constraints, the coal chemical industry should take stricter measures to tackle carbon reduction. Based on the intensity differences of five major coal and carbon reduction measures applied by the coal chemical industry, which include raw material structure adjustment, fuel structure adjustment, energy-saving technology transformation, terminal capture technology, and industrial structure adjustment, this study adopted the downstream sector demand method and project method, combined with the air pollution reduction model, to predict three scenarios (benchmark, policy, and enhancement) of coal chemical industry peak year and peak amount of coal consumption and carbon dioxide emission, associated with air pollutant reduction row effects. The results showed that coal consumption under the benchmark and policy scenarios of the coal chemical industry is expected to reach a peak in the late period of China's "14th Five-Year Plan", with peak values of 0.96 billion and 0.93 billion tons, respectively. By contrast, under the enhanced scenario, it is expected to peak in the early period of the "14th Five-Year Plan" with a value of 0.91 billion tons. The carbon peak will arrive in the late period of the "15th Five-Year Plan" under the benchmark scenario but in the early and late period of the "14th Five-Year Plan" under the policy and enhanced scenarios, with peak values of approximately 0.64 billion, 0.57 billion, and 0.55 billion tons, respectively. Controlling the construction scale of new coal chemical projects, tapping the space for raw material substitution, and speeding up the energy-saving technological transformation are important measures for coal and carbon control in the coal chemical industry. The implementation of coal and carbon reduction measures of the coal chemical industry will coordinately reduce air pollutant emissions, such as SO2, NOx, PM, and VOCs by 37, 43, 11, and 28 thousand tons per year after 2035.

Techno-Economic Efficiency Estimation of Promising Integrated Oxyfuel Gasification Combined-Cycle Power Plants with Carbon Capture

The study concerns promising coal-fired power plants that can gain an advantage over traditional options in the context of decarbonization. The calculations show that combined-cycle plants with integrated coal gasification and carbon dioxide recirculation may have better technical and economic characteristics compared to existing gasification processes (one- and two-stage). The recirculation of carbon dioxide improves the efficiency of the gasification process (the combustible gases yield and the fuel carbon conversion degree) and reduces the energy costs of the flue gas cleaning and carbon capture unit, thereby improving the economic performance of the plant. The estimates show that the decrease in the efficiency of electricity production associated with the removal of carbon dioxide is approximately 8% for the recirculation of combustion products and 15–16% for traditional processes, and the increase in the cost of electricity is 20–25% versus 35–40%, respectively.

Coal measure energy production and the reservoir space utilization in China under carbon neutral target

Coal measure energy production and reservoir space utilization are both important for energy security and can assist in achieving carbon neutrality. Coal measure energy production and reservoir utilization are therefore of scientific significance. This study focuses on the security of coal supply by discussing the possible technical approaches of combining low-carbon mining of coal measure resources and coal reservoir space utilization. Our study found that 1) the integration of underground coal gasification and carbon capture and sequestration (UCG-CCS) is an effective technology to improve energy efficiency and achieve the carbon neutral target in China; 2) CO2-enhanced coalbed methane (CO2-ECBM) recovery is an important way to reduce CO2 emissions during coalbed methane recovery; and 3) the integrated technology of solid waste filling (WF), coal bioconversion (CB), gas production (GP), and CO2 capture and sequestration (CCS) in coal goafs and abandoned coal mines can improve the energy production efficiency and reservoir space utilization and reduce geological disasters due to surface subsidence. These integrated technologies will become increasingly important for coal measure energy production and efficient reservoir space utilization as they will provide scientific theory and technical support to achieve carbon neutrality.

Vacuum-Dried and Intrinsic Photothermal Phenolic Carbon Aerogel from Coal Tar Rich in Polycyclic Aromatics for Efficient Solar Steam Generation

Solar steam generation has been proven to be an efficient way for obtaining clean water from seawater or polluted water with solar energy as the only energy input. Due to the high porosity and light absorption, tunable micro–nano structure, and excellent thermal insulation, carbon aerogels as photothermal materials have attracted much attention. However, requirements of freeze drying and additional light absorbers as well as low strength restrict the large-scale utilization of carbon aerogels. Herein, self-floating and low-cost coal tar-based phenolic carbon aerogels (CPCAs) were fabricated using a facile method, that is, polymerization/gelation, vacuum drying, and carbonization. CPCAs with comparable light absorption (96.6%) to carbon nanotube can be used as intrinsic photothermal materials owing to the existence of considerable polycyclic aromatics in coal tar. In addition, CPCAs possess hierarchical porous architectures and abundant polar functional groups, delivering fast water transportation. Moreover, the latent heat is obviously reduced due to the regulation of the water state. Therefore, the evaporation rate can reach up to 2.23 kg m–2 h–1 with an energy efficiency of 92.5% under 1 sun employing a CPCA as a photothermal material. Additionally, CPCAs with high strength (more than 4 MPa under 90% compressive strain) have versatile applications in seawater desalination and industrial wastewater for long-term stability. The excellent performance of CPCAs was tentatively revealed by density functional theory and COMSOL calculation.

Effects of intrinsic properties, particle size, bulk density, and specific gravity on thermal properties of coal dusts.

Thermal properties of pulverized coal govern theheat transfer and greatly influence the coal dust explosion and spontaneous combustion processes. This study measures the thermal properties of five coal samples at six distinct particle sizes using an advanced thermal property analyzer. The thermo-physical properties of coal dust positively correlated with theparticle size. Thermal conductivity, diffusivity, and specific heat capacity increased with the ash percentage, bulk density, and specific gravity of coal dust. In contrast, they negatively correlated with the fixed carbon and volatile content of coal. Empirical relations between the thermo-physical properties were developed. The thermal conductivity, diffusivity, and specific heat capacity of coal dusts varied in the range of 0.091-0.147W/mK, 0.125-0.164mm2/s, and 0.715-0.945MJ/m3K, respectively. With increase in particle size from < 38 to 500-1000µm, thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity, and specific heat capacity increased in the range of 25.60-32.89%, 9.76-22.11%, and 9.57-20.80%, respectively, for different coal samples.

Study on Slagging Characteristics of Co-Combustion of Meager Coal and Spent Cathode Carbon Block

The harmless disposal of spent cathode carbon blocks (SCCBs) has become an urgent issue in the primary aluminum industry, and the disposal of SCCBs by co-combustion in pulverized coal boilers is expected to be the most effective treatment method. A muffle furnace at 815 °C was used in this study to perform a co-combustion experiment of meager coal and SCCBs. The ash fusion characteristics (AFTs), microscopic morphology, and minerals composition of co-combustion ash were characterized. The interaction mechanism of different mineral components and the change in AFTs and viscosity-temperature characteristics were investigated using FactSage software. Results show that the change in the ash deformation temperature (DT) is correlated linearly with the SCCB addition ratio, whereas other characteristic temperatures exhibit a nonlinear relationship. The contents of SiO2, Al2O3, and Na2O collectively determine the DT in the ash, and the influence degree from high to low is in the order of SiO2, Na2O, and Al2O3. The phase diagram of Na2O–Al2O3–SiO2 is used to accurately predict the changing trend of the melting point of co-combustion ash. The ratio changes between refractory and fusible minerals in the ash, as well as the degree of low-temperature eutectic reaction between sodium- and calcium-containing minerals, are the main factors affecting the melting point of ash. When the blending amount of SCCBs is 5%, mostly complete combustion is achieved, and slagging does not occur easily. The optimal blending ratio of SCCBs is obtained using the co-combustion method from the aspect of AFTs and viscosity-temperature characteristics. This work lays a theoretical foundation for industrial application.

Current status and technology development in implementing low carbon emission energy on underground coal gasification (UCG)

Although coal mining has played a substantial role in world’s development as a critical fuel source for at least 25 years, its value is partly offset by the massive environmental issues it presents during combustion. The shift to a net-zero CO2 emission will open unique possibilities for new coal technological models in which progressive studies and policies, development, and modernization will play a significant role. Therefore, a collection of technologies has been proposed, one of which is cost-effective is the Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) coupled with carbon capture storage (CCS) and utilization technology (CCU) UCG-CCS/CCU. This paper reviews the current status and technology development in implementing low carbon emission energy on underground coal gasification. The study, therefore, leads to discussing the modern stage of underground coal gasification and carbon capture storage development, recent pilot operations, and current developments of the growing market. At the same time, it provides a reference for underground coal gasification combined with CCUS technology.

Modelling of multiphase reactive flows in a full-loop coal-direct chemical looping combustor

The coal-direct chemical looping (CDCL) process is a promising clean coal combustion technology, yet the internal multiphase reactive flows in the full-loop system are not clear. In this paper, for the first time, a multi-fluid CFD model of gas–solid-powder reactive flow is developed to describe the gas-oxygen carrier-coal reactive flow in a full-loop CDCL unit, based on Eulerian-Eulerian-Lagrangian framework. The model is validated by comparing with experimental data in terms of flow and reaction behaviours. The model predicts the unique gas-oxygen carrier-coal flow in the full-loop moving-bed CDCL unit, including multiple fluidisations, mixing and separation between the oxygen carrier and coal. The mean residence time of coal particles is around 13 s ∼ 20 s through statistics of discrete particles at the reducer outlet. The high temperature in the CDCL system is observed in the AR riser, cyclone and the top section of the fuel reactor (FR); whereas the low temperature is observed at the bottom of the FR and the l-valve, as a collected result of endothermic and exothermic reactions. A less than 5 mol%, leaks of O2 from the combustor to the reducer can be captured, which is caused by the unbalanced pressure distribution. Overall, over 90 vol% CO2 concentration and 100 % coal carbon conversion are achieved at the FR outlet, which indicates a high CO2 separation efficiency and coal carbon conversion of this CDCL system. This work provides a useful tool for designing and optimising CLC processes.

Approaching high-performance lithium storage materials of CoNiO2 microspheres wrapped coal tar pitch-derived porous carbon.

Ternary transition metal oxides (TMOs) are deemed as promising anode materials of Li-ion batteries (LIBs) owing to their large theoretical capacity and rich redox reaction. Nevertheless, the inherent semiconductor characteristic and enormous volume variation of TMOs during cycling bring about sluggish reaction kinetics, fast capacity fading, and poor rate capability. In this study, three-dimensional (3D) porous CoNiO2@CTP architectures, i.e., CoNiO2 microspheres combined with coal tar pitch-derived porous carbon, were designed and synthesized through a one-step hydrothermal method followed by a heat treatment process for the first time. The microsphere morphology increases the contact area between the anode and electrolyte, shortens the transport distance of Li+ ions, and reduces the agglomeration. The existence of the CTP layer provides rich charge transmission paths, improves the electronic conductivity of CoNiO2 and provides abundant active sites for Li+ storage. Owing to the synergistic effect of porous carbon and microsphere morphology of CoNiO2, the CoNiO2@CTP (10.0 wt%) anode shows remarkable electrochemical performance with a high charge capacity (1437.5 mA h g-1 at 500 mA g-1), good rate performance (839.76 mA h g-1 even at 1 A g-1), and remarkable cycle durability (741.4 mA h g-1 after 1000 cycles at 1 A g-1), which is significantly better than pristine CoNiO2. This study not only provides a simple strategy for high-value utilization of CTP but also offers cost-effective CoNiO2@CTP architectures for high-performance LIBs.

The role of biocatalysts in the synthesis of graphene nanosheets from sub-bituminous coal

The synthesis of graphene nanosheets (GNs) from sub-bituminous coal aims to increase the added value of coal in a cheap, easy and proclaimed this method on an industrial scale. The addition of biocatalyst (BFS) in the pyrolysis process can reduce the reactive temperature of the pyrolysis process so that the combustion reaction runs better at low temperatures of 200-300℃. Followed by hydrothermal carbonization of coal at 180℃ for 6 h with the addition of pyrolysis liquid smoke. Filter the results and exfoliate using 24 kHz ultrasonication for 30 min. Then centrifuge at 10,000 rm for 10 min to separate the solids. Wash the solids with deionized water to obtain a neutral pH. Using FESEM and TEM to obtain the morphological characteristics of GNs, structural characterization was studied using XPS, FTIR, and XRD. The GNs produced using BFS yielded 7–8 layers of Graphene, and a crystal size of 2.7 nm showing promising efficiency from the methodology used.

Assessment of physical properties and antimicrobial activity of activated charcoal impregnated with silver nanoparticles against Escherichia coli

Activated charcoal possesses small pores that help in the increment of the surface area available for chemical reactions. In this study, coal samples were taken from Kalimati, Dharan, and Eastern Nepal with the goal of determining the antibacterial activity of activated charcoal against Escherichia coli. This study also measured the moisture content, volatile substances, fixed carbon, and pH of coal using proximate analysis. This study was carried out by the activated carbon impregnation with silver nanoparticles by varying with the different AgNO3 concentrations: a) 0.1 mol/liter (mol/L) b) 1 mol/L c) 1.5 mol/L one at a time. By the proximate analysis, it was found that the moisture content was 2.2%, the volatile matter was 15%, the fixed carbon was 53.8%, and the pH was 5.83. The antimicrobial activity was performed by agar well diffusion methods. With 25 mg nanoparticles the zone of inhibition against E. coli was found to be 7 mm, 8 mm and 10 mm respectively and with 50 mg nanoparticles the zone of inhibition against E. coli was found to be 9 mm, 9 mm and 12 mm with concentration 0.1 mol/L, 1 mol/L and 1.5 mol/L of AgNO3 respectively. According to Pearson correlation (r = 0.697) and a simple linear regression (R2 = 0.798), there was a positive relationship between the concentration of AgNO3 and the zone of inhibition observed against E. coli. The highest zone of inhibition (ZOI) of activated charcoal impregnation against E. coli was 12 mm at 1.5 mol/L of AgNO3 with 50 mg silver nanoparticles, which was comparatively less against seven standard antibiotics (13-29 mm ZOI).

Regulating the specific surface area and porous structure of carbon for high performance supercapacitors

The porous structure and specific surface area (SSA) of porous carbon are important factors affecting the performance of supercapacitors. However, it is still a great challenge to leverage the tradeoff between the SSA and mesopores to achieve both excellent capacitive and rate performance. Herein, we develop a facile pore- regulating strategy to integrate interconnected porous structure, large SSA and suitable mesopore volume in porous carbons. The co-pyrolysis of cotton stalks and oxidized coal can generate more defect sites, which is conducive to form a honeycomb-like morphology and reasonable porous structures in the following activation process. The integration of large SSA (1510 m2 g−1) and abundant mesopore volume (0.24 cm3 g−1) endow the optimal sample with a high capacitance (345 F g−1 @ 1 A/g), superior rate performance (69 % capacitance retention @ 50 A/g), and excellent long cyclic stability in 6 M KOH electrolyte. Moreover, the assembled symmetric supercapacitor exhibits a high energy density of 56 Wh kg−1 @ 741 W kg−1 in EMIM BF4. This work provides a simple strategy to tailor the morphology and structure of coal and biomass-derived porous carbon, and offers new insights into the tradeoff between SSA and mesopores for high performance supercapacitors.