Layer Structure Of Graphite Research Articles

Mildly expanded graphite with exceptional performance from waste lithium ion batteries by space-confined intercalation of deep eutectic solvent

Reclaiming the spent graphite (SG) in the anodes of end-of-life lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is of tremendous significance for addressing resource shortage and eco-friendliness. The impurities embedded into the graphite interlayer after multiple charge–discharge cycles hinder the free migration of lithium ions, resulting in inferior lithium storage capacity. Herein, a space-confined intercalation of deep eutectic solvent (DES) strategy is proposed, to dissolve the impurities by utilizing its great ability to form hydrogen bonds (O–H…Cl-, O–H…O and O–H…F) with PVDF binder, SEI film and the residual electrolytes within the SG, simultaneously enlarging the interlayer distance to upgrade the anode graphite. After the further pyrolysis, the as-obtained mildly expanded graphite (MEG-800) exhibited well-defined graphite microcrystalline layer structure and high graphitization degree. The moderately enlarged graphite layers provided more space for the insertion and extraction of lithium ions, endowing MEG-800 with exceptional performance in LIBs, such as extremely high charge capacity of 477.4 mAh/g at a current density of 0.1 A/g and superior reversibility and desirable cycle stability. After 100 cycles at 0.1 A/g, its capacity still retained 470.9 mAh/g with a Coulombic efficiency as high as 99.76 %. The structure-dependent lithium-ion diffusion features of MEG-800 were also examined by electrochemical kinetics analysis. This study opened up a prospective avenue for the green and efficient recycling of spent anode graphite in retired LIBs, offering a solution to the problem of shortage of battery materials and promoting sustainable development.

Tuning MgCl2 content in BMIMPF6 to optimize mg-ion battery performance

This study aims to explore magnesium chloride salt-ionic liquid as an efficient electrolyte for Magnesium-ion Batteries (MIBs) using graphite as a cathode material. A complete physicochemical and electrochemical characterizations were performed on a number of electrolyte compositions and important properties including ion solvation, specific conductivity, ion transport behaviour, dominant ionic species, and electrochemical stability were tested. Also, the effect of magnesium salt concentration on specific capacity, reversibility, stability, charge retention, and rate capability were examined. Moreover, the effect of graphite electrodes on Solid Electrolyte Interphase (SEI) layer, its practicality, and cyclability of the different electrolyte compositions afforded interesting conclusions by this comprehensive comparison of electrode-electrolyte pairings. This evaluation is further supported by life cycle analysis, which gave an important information on how to keep electrodes structurally intact even after several uses. Though there were differences in the three electrolyte systems with respect to reversibility, stability, cyclicbility, capacity fading, and unexpected failures, the 0.2 M electrolyte showcased a notable feature of a high ionic conductivity (4.6 × 10−3 mS cm−1) at room temperature and strong anodic stability (4.0 V vs. Mg/Mg2+). Thus, endorsing the developed system as promising lead for further exploration. Additionally, magnesium dissolution and deposition on a Pt working electrode in this electrolyte was also thoroughly examined in this study. The process of PF6¯ ion intercalation and de-intercalation into graphite layer structure was examined using Cyclic Voltammetry (CV). Based on the analysis by Field Emission- Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM), Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), a change in the active-material morphology was observed and we hypothesize that this might be the reason for the improved performance.

Hybrid catalyst‐assisted synthesis of multifunctional carbon derived from Camellia shell for high‐performance sodium‐ion batteries and sodium‐ion hybrid capacitors

AbstractBiomass‐derived carbon as energy storage materials have gradually attracted widespread attention due to their low cost, sustainability, and inherent structural advantages. Herein, hard carbon (H‐1200) and porous carbon (PC‐800) for sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs), sodium‐ion capacitors (SICs) half cells and sodium‐ion hybrid capacitors (SIHCs) have been synthesized from the same biomass precursor of Camellia shells through different treatments. H‐1200 synthesized by directly high‐temperature carbonization possesses a rational graphitic layer structure and plentiful heteroatoms. When applied as anode for SIBs, it exhibits a reversible capacity of 365.5 mAh g–1 at 25 mA g–1 and capacity retention 89.0% after 400 cycles at 200 mA g–1. Additionally, PC‐800 prepared by catalytic carbonization of K2C2O4/CaC2O4 hybrid catalyst has a sophisticated porous structure and a high surface area of 2186.9 m2 g–1. When employed as a cathode for SICs, it delivers a maximum capacity 104.2 mAh g–1 at 100 mA g–1 and 35.0 mAh g–1 at 5 A g–1. Furthermore, the all carbon assembled SIHC (H‐1200||PC‐800) using H‐1200 as anode and PC‐800 as cathode, features a broad output voltage range (0.01 ~ 4.1 V), high energy density of 161.5 Wh kg–1, power density of 12896.1 W kg–1, and superior capacity retention of 90.32% after 10000 cycles at 10 A g–1. This research result provide a new horizon for constructing low‐cost and large‐scale production of biomass derived carbon for energy storage materials.

Low-cost silicon cutting waste reused as a high-power-density silicon-based anode.

With the rapid development of electric vehicle technology, commercial graphite anodes (theoretical capacity of 372 mA h g-1) of lithium-ion batteries cannot meet the needs for high power density. Silicon has high theoretical capacity (4200 mA h g-1), low working voltage (about 0.4 V vs. Li/Li+), rich resources and environmental friendly nature; hence, it is regarded as a potential negative electrode material. During repeated charging and discharging, silicon particles continuously pulverize, which leads to the volume expansion of electrode materials (up to 400%) and a decrease in conductivity. In this study, high-purity nano-silicon was prepared via a calcination-ball milling-pickling process with low-cost silicon cutting waste (SiCW) as a raw material to meet the needs of lithium-ion batteries for high-purity and nano-scale silicon-based anodes. At the same time, silicon@graphite nanocomposites with different mass ratios were prepared via a low-cost industrialized ball-milling process. The easy intercalation and softness of the graphite layer structure realized the coating and joining of nano-silicon, which improved the conductivity of nano-silicon and restrained the rapid degradation of cycling performance caused by the expansion and pulverization of the silicon-based anode. Adopting low-cost raw materials and industrialization-based preparation processes can effectively control the production cost of silicon-based anode materials and lay a solid foundation for their practicality.

Methods of obtaining graphene

Graphene was first obtained at the beginning of the 21st century, and since then various methods have been developed for its synthesis. This variety is explained by the natural layered structure of graphite. A large number of methods is based on the idea of separating graphite layers. They are considered relatively cheap, productive and available in almost all laboratories. Another group of graphene synthesis methods is based on the concept of creating graphene sheets from individual carbon atoms. These methods are technologically more complex and require appropriate specialized equipment. Due to the wide range of graphene synthesis methods and their availability, researchers from all over the world can conduct experiments with this unique material in various scientific fields. This makes graphene an extremely promising object for further scientific research.

Recovery of carbon from spent carbon cathode by alkaline and acid leaching and thermal treatment and exploration of its application in lithium-ion batteries.

The spent carbon cathode (SCC) is a hazardous solid waste from aluminum production. It has an abundant carbon source and a unique graphitic carbon layer structure, making it a valuable waste for recycling. This paper uses alkaline and acid leaching methods to report a straightforward way of extracting recovered carbon (RC) from SCC as anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). The results show that alkaline and acid leaching conditions at 70 °C with 1 M NaOH and HCl solution individually in 6 h and a liquid-solid ratio of 20:1 can result in RC with up to 94.63% carbon content than 49.38% in SCC, exhibiting a typical graphite structure. SCC and RC materials are obtained after calcination at 400 °C in an inert atmosphere and used as anode materials (SCC-400 and RC-400). In this paper, The initial charging specific capacities are 490.0 mA h g-1, 195.4 mA h g-1, and 423.2 mA h g-1and initial coulombic efficiencies (ICE) are 67.8%, 78.9%, and 72.0% of RC-400, SCC, and SCC-400. RC-400 also shows excellent capacity retention and impedance values. This exciting finding provides a viable, non-hazardous, and resourceful method for treating and disposing of SCC from aluminum electrolysis.

Nickel vanadate nitrogen-doped carbon nanocomposites for high-performance supercapacitor electrode

A nickel-vanadium-based bimetallic precursor was produced using the polymerization process by urea-formaldehyde copolymers. The precursor was then calcined at 800 °C in an argon ambiance to form a Ni3V2O8-NC magnetic nanocomposite. Powerful techniques were used to study the physical characteristics and chemical composition of the fabricated Ni3V2O8-NC electrode. PXRD, Raman, and FTIR analyses proved that the crystal structure of Ni3V2O8-NC included N-doped graphitic carbon. FESEM and TEM analyses imaging showed the distribution of the Ni3V2O8 nanoparticles on the layered graphitic carbon structure. TEM images showed the prepared sample has a particle size of around 10–15 nm with an enhanced active site area of 146 m2/g, as demonstrated by BET analysis. Ni3V2O8-NC nanocomposite exhibits magnetic behaviors and a magnetization saturation value of 35.99 emu/g. The electrochemical (EC) studies of the synthesized Ni3V2O8-NC electrode proceeded in an EC workstation of three-electrode. In a 5 M potassium hydroxide as an electrolyte, the cyclic voltmeter exhibited an enhanced capacitance (CS) of 915 F/g at 50 mV/s. Galvanic charge-discharge (GCD) study also exhibited a superior capacitive improvement of 1045 F/g at a current density (It) of 10 A/g. Moreover, the fabricated Ni3V2O8-NC nanocomposite displays a good power density (Pt) of 356.67 W/kg, improved ion accessibility, and substantial charge storage. At the high energy density (Et) of 67.34 W h/kg, the obtained Pt was 285.17 W/kg. The enhanced GCD rate, cycle stability, and Et of the Ni3V2O8-NC magnetic nanocomposite nominate the sample as an excellent supercapacitor electrode. This study paves the way for developing effective, efficient, affordable, and ecologically friendly electrode materials.

Effect of heating rate, temperature, and residence time during graphitization on the mechanical and electrical properties of isotropic graphite blocks

The present study aimed to determine the correlation between graphitization parameters during the manufacturing of isotropic graphite blocks, including temperature, residence time, and heating rate, and the physical properties of the obtained graphite blocks. It was found that during graphitization, nitrogen- and sulfur-containing gases were generated, and the isotropic graphite blocks exhibited volume shrinkage, and their apparent density and bulk density increased, regardless of any changes in the process parameters, due to the intrinsic microstructure of the isotropic coke. Graphite blocks with varying graphitization temperatures and residence time exhibited increased bulk density and open porosity but decreased flexural strength and electrical resistivity compared to carbonized blocks. It was also confirmed that the heating rate process parameter was related to gas release rates and crystallization. In addition, it was observed that micron-sized pores were created around the developed graphite layered structure with increasing graphitization degree.

Anion Intercalation into Graphite Drives Surface Wetting.

The unique layered structure of graphite with its tunable interlayer distance establishes almost ideal conditions for the accommodation of ions into its structure. The smooth and chemically inert nature of the graphite surface also means that it is an ideal substrate for electrowetting. Here, we combine these two unique properties of this material by demonstrating the significant effect of anion intercalation on the electrowetting response of graphitic surfaces in contact with concentrated aqueous and organic electrolytes as well as ionic liquids. The structural changes during intercalation/deintercalation were probed using in situ Raman spectroscopy, and the results were used to provide insights into the influence of intercalation staging on the rate and reversibility of electrowetting. We show, by tuning the size of the intercalant and the stage of intercalation, that a fully reversible electrowetting response can be attained. The approach is extended to the development of biphasic (oil/water) systems that exhibit a fully reproducible electrowetting response with a near-zero voltage threshold and unprecedented contact angle variations of more than 120° within a potential window of less than 2 V.

Understanding the mechanism of capacity increase during early cycling of commercial NMC/graphite lithium-ion batteries

A capacity increase is often observed in the early stage of Li-ion battery cycling. This study explores the phenomena involved in the capacity increase from the full cell, electrodes, and materials perspective through a combination of non-destructive diagnostic methods in a full cell and post-mortem analysis in a coin cell. The results show an increase of 1% initial capacity for the battery aged at 100% depth of discharge (DOD) and 45 °C. Furthermore, large DODs or high temperatures accelerate the capacity increase. From the incremental capacity and differential voltage (IC-DV) analysis, we concluded that the increased capacity in a full cell originates from the graphite anode. Furthermore, graphite/Li coin cells show an increased capacity for larger DODs and a decreased capacity for lower DODs, thus in agreement with the full cell results. Post-mortem analysis results show that a larger DOD enlarges the graphite d-space and separates the graphite layer structure, facilitating the Li+ diffusion, hence increasing the battery capacity.

Vacancy engineering of oxidized Nb2CTx MXenes for a biased nitrogen fixation

The artificial nitrogen (N2) reduction reaction (NRR) via electrocatalysis is a newly developed methodology to produce ammonia (NH3) at ambient conditions, but faces the challenges in N2 activation and poor reaction selectivity. Herein, Nb-based MXenes are developed to remarkably enhance the NRR activity through the engineering of the stretched 3D structure and oxygen vacancies (VO). The theoretical studies indicate that N2 could be initially adsorbed on VO with an end-on configuration, and the potential determining step might be the first hydrogenation step. The catalysts achieve an NH3 production rate of 29.1 μg h−1 mgcat−1 and excellent Faradic efficiency of 11.5%, surpassing other Nb-based catalysts. The selectivity of NRR is assigned to the unique structure of the catalysts, including (1) the layered graphitic structure for fast electron transfer and active site distribution, (2) the reactive VO for N2 adsorption and activation, and (3) the expanded interlayer space for mass transfer.

Efficient oxygen evolution reaction on RuO2 nanoparticles decorated onion-like carbon (OLC)

Oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is an important half-cell reaction of the electrical water splitting, for its high overpotential associated with sluggish OER kinetics. Therefore, it is critical to develop highly active and durable electrocatalysts to reduce the overpotential. Herein, ultra-small RuO2 nanoparticles (NPs) supported on onion-like carbon (OLC) and carbon nanotube (CNT) are successfully synthesized by means of wet impregnation combined with annealing treatment, respectively. The microstructure characterization results showed OLC perfect graphitic carbon layer structure, and the RuO2 NPs supported on the OLC possess larger particle size compared with the RuO2 NPs supported on the CNT. Moreover, the electronic structure of Ru in RuO2/OLC was also optimized by the OLC support to be beneficial for the OER. The OER performance of the catalysts were investigated in 1 M KOH solution. The results show RuO2/OLC has a comparable OER activity to the commercial RuO2, but a significantly higher mass activity than the commercial RuO2. When compared with the RuO2/CNT, RuO2/OLC not only exhibits lower overpotential and Tafel slop, but also owns more active sites and higher TOF value, indicating the OLC support improved the OER activity of RuO2/OLC. Moreover, RuO2/OLC showed a superior stability compared with RuO2/CNT, which can be attributed to the excellent electrochemical oxidation-resistance of the OLC.

Template-free synthesis of millimeter-scale carbon nanorod arrays on boron-doped diamond with superior glucose sensing performance

Large-scale growth of three-dimensional (3D) carbon nanostructure via a template-free method remains challenging. In this work, a millimeter-scale carbon nanorod array (CNA), via thermal catalysis with nickel as the catalyst, is directly synthesized on the substrate of boron-doped diamond (BDD). Electron microscopies evidence the phenomena of independent growth of a single carbon nanorod and the fusion of two or more nanorods, and demonstrate that the inner area of carbon nanorod is not hollow but amorphous carbon, while the outer area reveals the layered graphite structure. The small biomolecule, D-(+)-glucose, is chosen as the standard to test its sensing performance. Electrochemical results demonstrate the CNA/BDD electrode can detect as low as 0.5 μM glucose and has a superior sensitivity of 1740.1 μA mM−1cm−2, showing the most outstanding performance compared to the other reported BDD-based electrodes. The superior sensing performance benefits from synergistic effects of catalysis of nickel nanoparticles anchored on CNA and BBD, the enhanced electroactive surface area and mass transfer rate due to the three-dimensional nanostructure.

Au nanoparticles decorated polypyrrole-carbon black/g-C3N4 nanocomposite as ultrafast and efficient visible light photocatalyst

Modification and bandgap engineering are proposed to be extremely significant in improving the photocatalytic activity of novel photocatalysts. The current research focused on the fabrication of ultrafast and efficient visible light-responsive ternary photocatalyst containing g-C3N4 nanostructures in conjugation with polypyrrole doped carbon black (PPy-C) and gold (Au) nanoparticles by highly effectual, simple, and straightforward methodology. Various analytical techniques like XRD, FESEM, TEM, XPS, FTIR, and UV–Vis spectroscopy were applied for characterization purposes. The XRD and XPS results confirmed the successful creation of a nanocomposite framework among Au, PPy-C and g-C3N4. The TEM images revealed that bare g-C3N4 holds sheets or layered graphitic structure with sizes ranging from 100 to 300 nm. The sponge-like PPy-C network intermingled perfectly with g-C3N4 sheets along with homogeneously distributed 5–15 nm Au nanoparticles. The band gap energy (Eg) for bare g-C3N4, PPy-C/g-C3N4 and Au@PPy-C/g-C3N4 nanocomposites were found to be 2.74, 2.68, and 2.60 eV, respectively. The photocatalytic activity for all newly designed photocatalysts have been assessed during the degradation of insecticide Imidacloprid and methylene blue (MB) dye, where Au@PPy-C/C3N4 was found to be extremely efficient with ultrafast removal of both imidacloprid and MB in just 25 min of visible light irradiation. It was revealed that the Au@PPy-C/g-C3N4 ternary photocatalyst removed 96.0% of target analyte imidacloprid, which is ⁓ 2.91 times more efficient than bare g-C3N4 in treating imidacloprid. This report provides a distinctly promising, highly effectual and straightforward route to destruct extremely toxic and notorious pollutants and opens a new gateway in the present challenging scenario of environmental concerns.

Preparation of copper doped walnut shell-based biochar for efficiently removal of organic dyes from aqueous solutions

Malachite green has been demonstrated to be highly toxic, causing mutagenic side effects. To solve this problem, Cu-doped walnut shell-based activated carbon (Cu-WS-AC) was prepared and tested as a competitive adsorbent in various dyes removal. Compared with AC (1415 mg g−1), a 2477 mg g−1 experimental adsorption capacity of MG using Cu-WS-AC was obtained at 298 K. The universality performance showed that Cu-WS-AC was an effective adsorbent in the removal of other organic dyes including acid fuchsin (669.5 mg g−1), Congo red (248.2 mg g−1), methylene blue (414.5 mg g−1), alizarinred (1358 mg g−1), basic fuchsin (753.4 mg g−1). The samples were characterized using SEM, XRD, XPS, FTIR, N2 adsorption–desorption and pHpzc characterization. The adsorption mechanism was proposed. The electrostatic attraction, the hydrogen bonding, the π-π stacking between the graphite layer structure and the aromatic ring in the MG molecule are the main reason to bring about high removal capacity. Also, the surface complexation interaction between Cu0/Cu2+ and cationic dye MG occurring simultaneously help to achieve remarkable adsorption capacity. Intraparticle diffusion model was applied to further explain the adsorption process. Moreover, the adsorption kinetics showed that the adsorption process was most suitable for the pseudo-second order model (R2 = 0.9997), inferring the chemisorption process. The adsorption equilibrium data were in good agreement with the Langmuir model (R2 = 0.9995), giving a calculated maximum monolayer adsorption capacity of 3546 mg g−1. This work provides a new idea for the practical application of Cu-doped adsorption materials in organic dye containing water treatment.

Investigating the chemical bonding state of graphite powder treated with magnesium(II) phosphate through EELS, TEM, and XPS analysis

Graphite is often used as a solid lubricant owing to its unique layered structure. However, graphite powder is susceptible to oxidation at high temperatures. In this study, graphite powder was treated with magnesium(II) phosphate solution to obtain graphite powder with excellent oxidation resistance at high temperatures while retaining its lubricating properties. The oxidation resistance of the obtained graphite powder and original graphite was evaluated at temperatures ranging from room temperature (RT) to 1000 °C. The results show that the initial temperature of graphite oxidation increased by nearly 170 °C. Furthermore, this study confirmed that the treated powder still retains the unique layered structure of graphite, which contributes to its lubricating properties. In addition, to clarify the mechanism of using magnesium(II) phosphate to treat graphite for improving its oxidation resistance, the chemical bonding state was specifically analyzed using electron energy loss spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Therefore, the magnesium(II) phosphate-treated graphite maintains the graphite-based interlayer structure and magnesium(II) phosphate forms a C–O–P chemical bond on the graphite defect to cover the reaction site of graphite, which allows the treated graphite to improve oxidation resistance.

Graphite-reinforced Portland cement composites at alternate ultra-high temperatures

To obtain a cement paste with high alternate ultra-high temperature (AUHT) resistance, this paper investigated the effects of metakaolin and graphite on the properties of cement paste. The results demonstrate that in the AUHT curing process, the ultra-high temperature changed the tetrahedral silicate structure in C-S-H from chains (Q2) to isolated silicate (Q0) or a dimer group (Q1), damaging the microstructure of C-S-H. Meanwhile, the substantial temperature difference caused the volume of each hydration product in the cement paste to vary unevenly, giving rise to high internal stress in the cement paste and thereby reducing its mechanical properties. However, metakaolin improved the mechanical properties of the cement paste by the filling effect and pozzolanic reaction. In addition, the layered structure of graphite accommodated the uneven variation of each hydration product in the cement paste at AUHT, reducing the internal stress and improving the mechanical properties of the cement paste.

Prevention of CaO deactivation using organic calcium precursor during multicyclic catalytic upgrading of bio-oil

The conversion of biomass wastes into upgraded bio-oil has been successfully implemented by catalytic fast pyrolysis (CFP) with CaO catalyst. The bottleneck of CFP technology is catalyst deactivation. Ex-situ catalytic pyrolysis of biomass wastes with multiple recycling of CaO from different calcium precursors were performed in a continuous fixed-bed at 500 °C. The objectives were to intensify the anti-deactivation and regenerative stability of CaO using organometallic precursor, and comprehensively distinguish the effects of calcium precursors on deactivation mechanism in terms of coke yield, coke species, structural and chemical changes et al. The results demonstrated that organic calcium precursor strengthened the recyclability of CaO catalyst during upgrading of bio-oil by showing longer lifetime and better recycling stability. Compared with conventional CaO from Ca(OH)2 (CH-CaO), the stronger deoxygenation and superior porosity of CaO from organic calcium precursors (Org-CaO) facilitated the removal of coke precursors and suppressed pore plugging. The average coke yields of CH-CaO and Org-CaO were respectively 5.1 and 2.2 g/m2. Moreover, CH-CaO promoted the aromatization of coke precursors, leading to coke existing in form of hard diamond-like structure. But coke deposited on Org-CaO exhibited softer layered graphite structure and contained more aliphatic matters. After 10 reaction/regeneration cycles, Org-CaO still kept 50% deoxygenation activity whereas CH-CaO showed almost complete deactivation. Organic calcium precursors delayed irreversible deactivation of CaO, since these precursors physically prevented the sintering and agglomeration of CaO, and chemically alleviated the loss of both the strength and density of basic sites on CaO.

Mechanism of aluminum carbide formation in aluminum electrolysis cells

The formation and dissolution of aluminum carbide is considered the primary factor affecting the life of aluminum electrolysis cells. Herein, the characteristics of sodium-graphite intercalation compounds (Na-GICs) were measured and the formation mechanism of Al4C3 during the aluminum electrolysis process was experimentally studied. The Na-GIC characteristics and the products of aluminum and Na-GIC reactions were investigated by Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that graphite can react with the sodium metal to form Na-GICs, which were detectable by Raman spectroscopy. Sodium inserted into the graphite layered structure acted as an intercalation agent to change the original graphite layered structure and increase the volume and specific surface area of graphite. Further, Al4C3 was produced by using sodium-graphite intercalation compounds and aluminum as materials. Thus, the presence of sodium plays an important role in the formation process of Al4C3 in aluminum electrolysis cells.

Kelp-Derived Activated Porous Carbon for the Detection of Heavy Metal Ions via Square Wave Anodic Stripping Voltammetry

Biomass-derived porous carbon materials with environmental adaptability and superior specific surface area have become one of the most promising materials in 21st era, especially in the electrochemical application. Herein, we proposed a kelp-derived carbon material (KPC) with a unique highly disordered graphite layer structure as an outstanding sensor via facile KOH activation method. The BET adsorption-desorption isotherm of KPC shows a typical IUPAC I type, and KPC possesses a high specific surface area with 2064 m2 g−1. Morphology observation and pore size analysis indicate that its porous-rich structure comprises countless micropores and mesopores. This unique structure of KPC not only provides massive active sites but exhibits high sensitivity in the detection of heavy metal by square wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV), with Pb2+ at 53.4 μA μM−1 and Cd2+ at 26.5 μA μM−1 in simultaneous detection. This study reports a new strategy for the detection of heavy metal ions using porous metal-free carbon materials.