Porous Carbon Research Articles

Synergistic design and synthesis of O, N Co-doped hierarchical porous carbon for enhanced supercapacitor performance

Carbon-based supercapacitors have emerged as promising energy storage components for renewable energy applications due to the unique combination of various physicochemical characteristics in porous carbon materials (PCMs) that can improve specific capacitance (SC) properties. It is essential to develop a methodical approach that exploits the synergy of these effects in PCMs to achieve superior capacitance performance. In this study, machine learning (ML) provided a clear direction for experiments in the screening of key physicochemical features; SHapley Additive exPlanations analysis on ML indicated that specific surface area and specific doping species had a significant synergistic impact on SC enhancement. Utilizing these insights, an O, N co-doped hierarchical porous carbon (ONPC-900) was synthesized using a synergistic pyrolysis strategy through K2CO3-assisted in-situ thermal exfoliation and nanopore generation. This method leverages the role of carbon nitride (graphite-phase carbon nitride) as an in-situ layer-stacked template and the oxygen (O)-rich properties of the pre-treated lignite, enabling controlled synthesis of graphene-like folded and amorphous hybrid structures engineered for the efficient N and O doping sites and high specific surface area, resulting in an electrode material with enhanced structural adaptability, rapid charge transfer, and diffusion mass transfer capacity. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations further confirmed that pyrrole nitrogen (N-5), carboxyl (-COOH) active sites, and the defect structure formed by pores synergically enhanced the adsorption of electrolyte ions (K+) and electron transfer, improving the SC performance. The optimized ONPC-900 electrode exhibited impressive SC properties of 440 F g-1 (0.5 A g-1), outperforming most coal-based PCMs. This study provides a methodology for designing and synthesizing high SC electrode materials by optimizing the key characteristic parameters of synergism from complex structure-activity relationships through the combination of ML screening, experimental synthesis, and density functional theory validation.

Starch-based porous carbon electrode material prepared by secondary-carbonization strategy and its electrochemical performances

Starch-based porous carbon electrode material prepared by secondary-carbonization strategy and its electrochemical performances

Local structure of amorphous sulfur in carbon–sulfur composites for all-solid-state lithium-sulfur batteries

All-solid-state (ASS) batteries are a promising solution to achieve carbon neutrality. ASS lithium–sulfur (Li-S) batteries stand out due to their improved safety, achieved by replacing organic solvents, which are prone to leakage and fire, with solid electrolytes. In addition, these batteries offer the benefits of higher capacity and the absence of rare metals. However, the low electronic conductivity of sulfur poses a major challenge for ASS Li-S batteries. To address this challenge, sulfur is often combined with porous carbon. Despite this standard practice, the local structure of sulfur in these composites remains unclear. Based on small-angle X-ray scattering and pair distribution function analysis, we discovered that sulfur in carbon–sulfur composites formed via melt diffusion is amorphous and primarily comprises S8 ring-shaped structures. The carbon–sulfur composite demonstrated a high specific capacity of 1625 mAh g−1 (97% of the theoretical specific capacity of sulfur). This remarkable performance is attributed to the extensive contact area between carbon and sulfur, which results in an excellent interface formed through melt diffusion. The insights gained into the local structure of sulfur and the analytical approaches employed enhanced our understanding of electrochemical reactions in ASS Li-S batteries, thereby aiding in the optimization of material design.

Facile Synthesis of Iron Phosphide Nanoparticles in 3D Porous Carbon Framework as Superior Anodes for Sodium-Ion Batteries

Iron phosphide (FeP) represents a promising anode material for sodium-ion batteries, attributed to its significant theoretical capacity, moderate operating potential, and natural abundance. However, due to the low conductivity and significant volume expansion of FeP electrodes, their specific capacity and cycle life decrease rapidly during charging and discharging. In this study, we synthesized FeP nanoparticles supported on a three-dimensional porous carbon framework composite (FeP@PCF) using a straightforward colloidal blow molding method, employing iron nitrate nonahydrate and polyvinylpyrrolidone as raw materials. The nanoscale size of the FeP particles, along with the abundant mesopores and high specific surface area of the 3D porous carbon framework, contribute to the impressive sodium storage performance of FeP@PCF. It is revealed that FeP@PCF achieves a remarkable capacity of 196.6 mA h g−1 at a current density of 1.0 A g−1. Furthermore, after 800 cycles at this current density, it retains a capacity of 172.4 mA h g−1, demonstrating excellent cycling performance. Kinetic and dynamic studies indicate that this exceptional performance is largely attributed to the well-designed FeP@PCF, which exhibits a high capacitive contribution of 88.3% at a scan rate of 1 mV s−1.

Fe−Ni with Chitosan via Microwave and Carboxymethyl as Electrode Materials for Supercapacitor

AbstractIron‐nickel double hydroxides (Fe−Ni) have been broadly synthesized for supercapacitors (SC). However, the influence of precipitant quantity on SC performance is one of the present challenges. Herein, we found that Fe0.64Ni0.36@ graphite electrodes, the open and interconnected 3D graded conductive network of carboxymethyl chitosan‐derived porous carbon (C), have achieved effective surface contact. In addition, iron and nickel reinforced redox active materials on porous carbon will undergo more redox reactions for rapid diffusion of electrolyte ions/electrons. Due to the special construction and the synergistic effect of multiple oxidation transformations, the prepared Fe0.64Ni0.36@graphite composite material exhibits a maximum capacitance of 1232 F g−1 at a current density of 1 A g−1. The prepared Fe0.64Ni0.36@graphite//Fe0.64Ni0.36@graphite symmetric supercapacitors exhibit a high energy density of 22.9 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 771 W kg−1. Particularly, the sample exhibits excellent cycling stability, retaining approximately 95.8 % capacitance after 5000 cycles.

Porous carbons with complex 3D geometries via selective laser sintering of whey powder

In addition to the inherent limitations of carbons to melt or flow, a vast majority of carbon precursors deforms during carbonisation, with stereolithography of thermoset resins being the preferred technology for 3D printing of carbons. An alternative is now presented with the possibility of using a melting-based technology, selective laser sintering (SLS), to fabricate 3D structures that withstand carbonisation. The key factor that makes this happen is whey powder, a natural, abundant and cheap by-product of the dairy industry. When heating the whey powder with a laser at 180–200 ºC for a few seconds, whey particles sinter, and 3D structures are obtained layer-by-layer. Carbonisation of the sintered whey structures brings about 3D porous carbons with excellent mechanical properties that preserve the SLS printed form albeit an isotropic shrinkage (approx. 23%). Melanoidins are identified as responsible for both the sintering and the thermoset behaviour during carbonisation of the whey powder.

Nanozymes with Modulable Inhibition Transfer Pathways for Thiol and Cell Identification.

The elementary mechanism and site studies of nanozyme-based inhibition reactions are ambiguous and urgently require advanced nanozymes as mediators to elucidate the inhibition effect. To this end, we develop a class of nanozymes featuring single Cu-N catalytic configurations and B-O sites as binding configurations on a porous nitrogen-doped carbon substrate (B6/CuSA) for inducing modulable inhibition transfer at the atomic level. The full redistribution of electrons across the Cu-N sites, induced by B-O sites incorporation, yields B6/CuSA with enhanced peroxidase-like activity versus CuSA. More importantly, CuSA with single Cu-N sites features in cysteine binding and expresses a competitive inhibition through coordination bonds, with an inhibition constant of 0.048 mM. Benefiting from the modulable binding way in nanozymes, B6/CuSA possesses mixed binding approaches for cysteine through noncovalent bonds and delivers a record-mixed inhibition interaction with a competitive inhibition constant of 0.054 mM and a noncompetitive inhibition constant of 0.71 mM. Based on the modulable inhibition of B6/CuSA and CuSA, a multichannel sensor array accomplishes the detection of various cancer cells, normal cells, and thiols. The design principle of this work is endowed with guidelines for the preliminary inhibition mechanism evaluation of massive potential thiols, cell discrimination, and disease prediction.

Activated Carbon from Birch Wood as an Electrode Material for Aluminum Batteries and Supercapacitors

AbstractDue to its sustainable approach, biomass is the subject of much research focused on the synthesis of multifunctional materials including electrodes for batteries and supercapacitors. In this work, sawdust from the processing of birch logs was used to produce a highly porous carbon material (CBW) that is employed for the construction of electrodes for aluminum batteries (ABs) and supercapacitors (SCs). A multitude of characterizations indicated that CBW is built in with highly disordered amorphous carbons and an extremely high specific surface area of 3029 m2 g−1 which is predominant with microporous features. The chemical analysis of CBW indicated the presence of a significant amount of oxygen functionalities. As a cathode of AB, CBW achieved discharge capacities 115, 74, 54, 50, 47, 43, and 29 mAh g−1 at current rates 0.1, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, and 10.0 A g−1, respectively. Similarly, SC with CBW symmetric electrodes exhibited capacitances 143, 94, 87, 79, 74, 69, 65, and 51 F g−1 at current rates 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, and 10.0 A g−1, respectively. The electrochemical characterization revealed that CBW is promising for ABs and SCs, and controlling the porosity type could further enhance the performance.

Optimizing the Coordination Energy of Co-Nx Sites by Co Nanoparticles Integrated with Fe-NCNTs for Boosting PEMFC and Zn-Air Battery Performance.

Enhancing the catalytic performance and durability of M-N─C catalyst is crucial for the efficient operation of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) and Zn-Air batteries (ZABs). Herein, an approach is developed for the in situ fabrication of a MOFs-derived porous carbon material, co-loaded with Co nanoparticles (NPs) and Co-Nx sites and integrated onto Fe-doped carbon nanotubes (CNTs), named CoNP/SA-NC/Fe-NCNTs. Incorporating polymer-wrapped CNTs improves MOFs dispersion annealing at high temperature, which amplifies the three-phase boundary (TPB) by generating much more mesopores and exposing additional active sites within the catalysts layer. Furthermore, density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicate that the presence of Co NPs promotes the conversion of oxygen-containing intermediates for Co-Nx sites. The optimized catalysts display a half-wave potential of 0.9 V (vs RHE) for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and a low overpotential of 327mV at 10mAcm-2 for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline media, which significantly outperforms the counterpart single structure, as well as noble-metal-based catalysts. Specifically, the PEMFCs and ZABs derived from CoNP/SA-NC/Fe-NCNTs catalyst exhibit power densities of 702 and 192mWcm-2, respectively. This work offers novel insights into the synthesis of the composited bifunctional carbon materials for ZABs and PEMFCs application.

Electrospun CSNi3C/Fe3C@C/NFs-600 Embedded in Porous Carbon shell as an Efficient Electrocatalyst for Water Splitting at Industrial Driven Current Density

Electrospun CSNi₃C/Fe₃C@C/NFs-600 Embedded in Porous Carbon shell as an Efficient Electrocatalyst for Water Splitting at Industrial Driven Current Density

Efficient Extraction of Phenols from Coal Tar and Preparation of Phenolic Resin-Based Porous Carbon for Advanced Supercapacitor Application.

Developing simple and efficient extraction methods for phenolic substances from coal tar, which facilitate their direct transformation into high-performance electrode materials, holds considerable practical significance. In this study, amide-zinc chloride deep eutectic solvents are employed for efficient phenol extraction. The optimal phenol extraction process is subsequently investigated, and it is found that the robust hydrogen bonding interactions between solvents and phenols significantly enhance extraction efficiency. Notably, without the need for back-extraction, formaldehyde and tetraethyl orthosilicate are added to obtain phenolic resin, which can subsequently be directly carbonized to fabricate hydrangea-like porous carbon. The carbonization mechanism of the phenolic resin is studied, and the templating and activating roles of tetraethyl orthosilicate and zinc chloride assist in the formation of this unique structure. Furthermore, the flexible supercapacitor assembled using the prepared porous carbon and gel electrolyte achieves a high energy density of 31.0Wh kg-1 and demonstrates broad temperature applicability ranging from -25 to 100°C. This work directly converts the extracted phenolic compounds into phenolic resin and shows potential for fabricating porous carbon materials with diverse structures and enhanced capacitive performance.

Cu-Ion Hybrid Porous Carbon with Nanoarchitectonics Derived from Heavy-Metal-Contaminated Biomass as Ultrahigh-Performance Supercapacitor

Cu-Ion Hybrid Porous Carbon with Nanoarchitectonics Derived from Heavy-Metal-Contaminated Biomass as Ultrahigh-Performance Supercapacitor

Tailored “Staggered Reaction” toward N/S Codoped Hollow Porous Carbon Nanospheres for Supercapacitors

Tailored “Staggered Reaction” toward N/S Codoped Hollow Porous Carbon Nanospheres for Supercapacitors

Facile Aqueous Route to Large-Scale Superhydrophilic TiO2-Incorporated Graphitic Carbon Nitride-Coated Ni(OH)2 and Ni2P Nano-Architecture Arrays as Efficient Electrocatalysts for Enhanced Hydrogen Production.

Water splitting by an electrochemical method to generate hydrogen gas is an economic and green approach to resolve the looming energy and environmental crisis. Designing a composite electrocatalyst having integrated multichannel charge separation, robust stability, and low-cost facile scalability could be considered to address the issue of electrochemical hydrogen evolution. Herein, we report a superhydrophilic, noble-metal-free bimetallic nanostructure TiO2/Ni2P coated on graphitic polyacrylonitrile carbon fibers (g-C/TiO2/Ni2P) using a facile hydrothermal method followed by phosphorylation. In an aqueous-based route, PAN is dissolved in water in the presence of ZnCl2, followed by wet-spinning to prepare scalable PAN/ZnCl2 fibers. The nitrogen-contained porous graphitic carbon fibers are prepared via the pyrolysis of PAN/ZnCl2 fibers; now ZnCl2 acts as a volatile porogen to form porous matrix structures. Finally, the as-prepared graphitic carbon fibers are electrochemically activated by incorporating TiO2/Ni2P active sites. The materials formed in this work show excellent electrocatalytic activity for the hydrogen evolution reaction. The as-synthesized g-C/TiO2/Ni2P catalyst shows a low overpotential, its electrocatalytic activity is improved, and its efficiency is better than that of the commercial Pt/C catalyst. At a current density of -10 mA/cm2, the g-C/TiO2/Ni2P catalyst shows an overpotential of 55 mV, while the commercial Pt/C catalyst shows an overpotential of 77 mV. Our work provides a facile aqueous scalable route with no need for noble metals that can be considered as a potential alternative for the commercial Pt/C catalyst.

Optimized K+ Deposition Dynamics via Potassiphilic Porous Interconnected Mediators Coordinated by Single-Atom Iron for Dendrite-Free Potassium Metal Batteries.

Potassium metal batteries are emerging as a promising high-energy density storage solution, valued for their cost-effectiveness and low electrochemical potential. However, understanding the role of potassiphilic sites in nucleation and growth remains challenging. This study introduces a single-atom iron, coordinated by nitrogen atoms in a 3D hierarchical porous carbon fiber (Fe─N-PCF), which enhances ion and electron transport, improves nucleation and diffusion kinetics, and reduces energy barriers for potassium deposition. Molten potassium infusion experiments confirm the Fe─N-PCF's strong potassiphilic properties, accelerating adsorption kinetics and improving potassium deposition performance. According to the Scharifker-Hills model, traditional carbon fiber substrates without potassiphilic sites cause 3D instantaneous nucleation, leading to dendritic growth. In contrast, the integration of single-atom and hierarchical porosity promotes uniform 3D progressive nucleation, leading to dense metal deposition, as confirmed by dimensionless i2/imax 2 versus t/tmax plots and real-time in situ optical microscopy. Consequently, in situ X-ray diffraction demonstrated stable potassium cycling for over 1900 h, while the Fe─N-PCF@K||PTCDA full cell retained 69.7% of its capacity after 2000 cycles (72 mAh g-1), with a low voltage hysteresis of 0.876V, confirming its strong potential for high energy density and extended cycle life, paving the way for future advancements in energy storage technology.

Enhanced Electrochemical Performance of Dual-Ion Batteries with T-Nb2O5/Nitrogen-Doped Three-Dimensional Porous Carbon Composites

Niobium pentoxide (T-Nb2O5) is a promising anode material for dual-ion batteries due to its high lithium capacity and fast ion storage and release mechanism. However, T-Nb2O5 suffers from the disadvantages of poor electrical conductivity and fast cycling capacity decay. Herein, a nitrogen-doped three-dimensional porous carbon (RMF) was prepared for loading niobium pentoxide to construct a composite system with excellent electrochemical performance. The obtained T-Nb2O5/RMF composites have a well-developed pore structure and a high specific surface area of 1568.5 m2 g−1, which could effectively increase the contact area between the material and electrolyte, improving the electrode reaction and lithium-ion transfer diffusion. Nitrogen doping increased surface polarity, creating more active sites and accelerating the electrode reaction rate. The introduction of T-Nb2O5 imparted high power density and excellent cycling stability to the battery. The composites exhibited good electrochemical performance when used as dual-ion battery anode, with a stable cycle life of 207.2 mA h g−1 at 1 A g−1 current density after 650 cycles and great rate performance of 181.5 mA h g−1 at 5A g−1 was also obtained. This work provides the possibility for applying T-Nb2O5/RMF as an anode for a high-performance dual-ion battery.

Transition Metal-Mediated Preparation of Nitrogen-Doped Porous Carbon for Advanced Zinc-Ion Hybrid Capacitors

Carbon is predominantly used in zinc-ion hybrid capacitors (ZIHCs) as an electrode material. Nitrogen doping and strategic design can enhance its electrochemical properties. Melamine formaldehyde resin, serving as a hard carbon precursor, synthesizes nitrogen-doped porous carbon after annealing. Incorporating transition metal catalysts like Ni, Co, and Fe alters the morphology, pore structure, graphitization degree, and nitrogen doping types/proportions. Electrochemical tests reveal a superior capacitance of 159.5 F g−1 at a scan rate of 1 mV s−1 and rate performance in Fe-catalyzed N-doped porous carbon (Fe-NDPC). Advanced analysis shows Fe-NDPC’s high graphitic nitrogen content and graphitization degree, boosting its electric double-layer capacitance (EDLC) and pseudocapacitance. Its abundant micro- and mesopores increase the surface area fourfold compared to non-catalyzed samples, favoring EDLC and fast electrolyte transport. This study guides catalyst application in carbon materials for supercapacitors, illuminating how catalysts influence nitrogen-doped porous carbon structure and performance.

2D biphenylene: exciting properties, synthesis & applications.

In the current era of nanotechnology, the isolation of graphene has acted as a catalyst for the study and creation of many innovative two-dimensional (2D) materials with distinctive functions. The recent synthesis of biphenylene (BPN), a porous 2D carbon allotrope, has ignited significant research interest due to its unique and tunable properties, making it a promising candidate for diverse applications in hydrogen storage, batteries, sensing, electrocatalysis, and beyond. Although a considerable amount of research has been carried out on biphenylene, there is hardly any review article on this fascinating material. Therefore, this comprehensive review article focuses on the fascinating properties of the advanced graphene family and 2D biphenylene. Additionally, there has been an in-depth discussion on 2D biphenylene, covering its synthesis process, recent advancements, and its applications in various fields. Moreover, this review will be useful to professionals and researchers in materials science, physics, chemistry, chemical engineering, and related subjects since it provides detailed information on the characteristics, synthesis, and applications of 2D biphenylene.

In Situ Cascade Catalytic Polymerization of Dopamine Based on Pt NPs/CoSAs@NC Nanoenzyme for Constructing Highly Sensitive Photocurrent-Polarity-Switching PEC Biosensing Platform.

Nanozymes open up new avenues for amplifying signals in photoelectrochemical (PEC) biosensing, which are yet limited by the generated small-molecule signal reporters. Herein, a multifunctional nanoenzyme of Pt NPs/CoSAs@NC consisting of Co single atoms on N-doped porous carbon decorated with Pt nanoparticles is successfully synthesized for cascade catalytic polymerization of dopamine for constructing a highly sensitive photocurrent-polarity-switching PEC biosensing platform. Taking protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) as a target model, Pt NPs/CoSAs@NC nanoenzymes are linked to magnetic microspheres via phosphorylated peptides. Upon dephosphorylation of PTP1B, Pt NPs/CoSAs@NC nanoenzymes with multiple enzyme-like activities, including peroxidase (POD)-like, catalase (CAT)-like, and oxidase (OXD)-like activities, are released and collected to induce the in situ cascade catalytic polymerization of dopamine on ZnCdS photoelectrode in the presence of H2O2. The generated polymer-molecule of polydopamine served as efficient signal reporter for simultaneously amplifying signal and switching photocurrent polarity, which not only improved the sensitivity but also enhanced the reliability. This biosensing platform is capable of sensitively quantifying PTP1B with ultralow detection limit (0.04 fM), wide linear range (0.1 fm-0.1 µm), and good applicability in complex biological samples. This work pioneers the utilization of nanozyme-based cascade catalytic polymerization strategy for improving sensitivity and reliability in biosensing technologies.

MOF-Derived Hierarchically Porous Carbon with Orthogonal Channels for Advanced Na-Se Batteries.

Na-Se batteries with high theoretical capacity and rich natural abundance are regarded as desirable substitutes for lithium-ion batteries in the predicament of scarce lithium resources. However, the huge volume expansion of Se and the shuttling effect of polyselenides hinder the development of Na-Se batteries. Herein, the hierarchically porous carbon encapsulated Se (Se/HPC) is successfully prepared by molten Se diffusing into the multi-scaled orthogonal channels of In-MOF derived carbon matrix. The Se/HPC realizes effective nano-confinement of Se phase and accelerates charge transfer during cycling to efficiently buffer the volume expansion of Se, which avoids the shuttling effect and promote electrochemical performance. The Se/HPC achieves admirable electrochemical performance for delivering high capacity of 465 mAh g-1 at a high current density of 50 A g-1 and 533 mAh g-1 after 2800 cycles at 10 A g-1 with 0.003% capacity decay per cycle. Density functional theory calculations demonstrate that the Se─C bond is thermodynamically and kinetically beneficial for the adsorption/diffusion of Na+. This work can inspire the further exploration of utilizing the intrinsic crystal structure of MOF to construct a hierarchically porous carbon matrix in situ as carrier for the active Se component, and provide inspiration for future construction of higher-performance electrode materials.