Three-dimensional Porous Carbon Research Articles

The collaborative effect of Ni3S2-NiO heterojunction and porous carbon network modified lithium-sulfur battery separator for effectively inhibiting polysulfides shuttle

As an important part of lithium-sulfur battery (LSB), separator not only provides ion transport channel but also plays a key role in ensuring battery safety. However, the aperture of the commercial separator polypropylene (PP) is relatively large, which cannot effectively inhibit the migration of polysulfides generated during the charging and discharging process between the positive and negative electrodes, resulting in a decrease in the cycle stability of LSB. In this work, a modified LSB separator Ni3S2-NiO@AC-4@PP is designed, which is anchored by Ni3S2-NiO heterojunction on volcanic rock-like three-dimensional porous carbon network (AC) as the functional interlayer. The AC possesses a large specific surface area and excellent electrical conductivity, creating sufficient space for the physical and chemical adsorption of insoluble polysulfides. The Ni3S2-NiO heterojunction is embedded and attached to the AC, which helps to hinder the diffusion of polysulfides and accelerate the redox reaction. It is also confirmed by density functional theory (DFT) calculation that Ni3S2-NiO heterojunction inhibited the shuttle of polysulfides through the adsorption capacity of NiO and the catalytic activity of Ni3S2. Thus, the Ni3S2-NiO@AC-4@PP battery exhibits an elevated initial specific capacity of 1027.8 mAh g−1 at 0.2C, maintaining long-term stability after 200 cycles with the capacity retention rate of 81.4 %. At the higher current density (2C), Ni3S2-NiO@AC@PP battery demonstrates durable cycle with the capacity retention rate of 91.3 %. This study proposes a new feasible strategy to obtain high-performance, low-cost modified separators by designing functional interlayers with excellent adsorption and catalytic properties.

Study on three-dimensional porous carbon fiber-MWCNTs-PEG phase change materials and its photo/electricity-thermal conversion performance

Solar energy, as a crucial green energy source, attracted significant attention. Phase change materials (PCMs) addressed the intermittency issue by storing and releasing latent heat. This study innovatively combined carbon fibers (CFs), phenolic resin, polyethylene glycol (PEG), and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) to create high-loading (>86 %) and high-enthalpy composite CF-based phase change materials (CFPCMs), with melting and freezing enthalpies of 156.6 J/g and 148.6 J/g. CFPCMs demonstrated excellent photothermal and electrothermal properties. The lightweight, porous CFs structure stabilized the PCMs matrix, enhancing its performance while facilitating the reuse of waste CFs products, thus contributing to environmental protection.

Phase change material composites based on 3D lignin-derived porous carbon prepared by in-situ activation for efficient solar-driven energy conversion and storage

Utilization of three-dimensional biomass-derived porous carbons can effectively address issues of easy leakage, low thermal conductivity, and weak photothermal conversion of phase change materials (PCMs). This enables the production of high-performance composites for solar-induced energy collection, conversion, and storage. In this study, hierarchical lignin-derived porous carbon (HLPC), microporous lignin-derived porous carbon (MILPC) and mesoporous lignin-derived porous carbon (MELPC) were prepared through high-temperature in-situ activation using lignosulphonate (LS) as a carbon precursor and CaCO3, KOH and ZnCO3 as activators. Carbon-based PCM composites with high performance were obtained by encapsulating paraffin wax (PW) in porous carbon supports. Results demonstrated that PW/HLPC exhibited comprehensive performance superior to other tested PW composites owing to its higher specific surface area (2,358 m2/g), larger pore volume (1.1 cm3/g) and well-interconnected framework structure. Additionally, PW/HLPC displayed relatively high latent heat (123.4 kJ/kg), photothermal conversion and storage efficiency (95 %), and photoelectric conversion performance (174.5 mV). Moreover, PW/HLPC also showed better leak-proof properties at 90 °C. The cycling stability and photothermal conversion performance of PW/HLPC were superior to those of the selected crude biochar-based PW composites. This study highlights the advantages of the prepared PW/HLPC for both the high-value utilization of lignin and its practical applications in solar-induced energy harvest, conversion, and storage.

Electrodeposited Zn-Mn on three-dimensional electrodes as anodes in liquid and quasi-solid-state zinc-air batteries

Zinc-air batteries (ZABs) are eco-friendly and sustainable energy storage devices. There are different challenges to overcome in ZABs, where anodic issues such as shape changes, passivation, self-corrosion, and dendrite formation require urgent solutions. In this work, Zn and Zn-Mn alloys were electrodeposited on three-dimensional porous carbon electrodes varying the Mn composition (2, 20 and 40 g L−1) and studying its effect during the operation of a 6 M KOH liquid ZAB and a quasi-solid-state ZAB based on poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly(acrylic acid) PVA/PAA gel polymer electrolyte (GPE). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images indicated that Zn and Zn-Mn were deposited as platelet-like bi-dimensional structures. Additionally, the use of 20 and 40 g L−1 of the Mn precursor resulted in larger Zn deposition covering the 3D structure of the carbon paper. Elemental analysis indicated that the Mn content in Zn-Mn was 1.3, 2.4 and 6 %. In the aqueous ZAB, the Zn-Mn with 2.4 % Mn enabled to increase the maximum current density achieving the highest power density of 45 mW cm⁻2. In QSS-ZAB, Zn-Mn at 1.3 and 2.4. % Mn displayed higher stability to recovery after demanding different current densities, while the first anode displayed higher cyclability, presenting a similar round trip after 240 charge/discharge cycles This ZAB was maintained functional during 290 cycles vs. 120 cycles for Zn foil. The rechargeability was improved because of the decrease in Zn dendritic growth and passivation.

Engineering a Ce Promoter into a Three-Dimensional Porous Mo2C@NC Heterostructure for Hydrogen Evolution Electrocatalysis via Weakening the Mo-H Bond Strength.

The pursuit of highly efficient electrocatalysts for the alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is of paramount importance for water splitting. However, it is still a formidable task in Mo2C-based materials because of the agglomeration and strong Mo-H binding of Mo2C units. Herein, a novel CeOCl-CeO2/Mo2C heterostructure nesting within a three-dimensional porous nitrogen-doped carbon matrix has been designed and used for catalyzing HER via simultaneous morphology and heterointerface engineering. As expected, the optimal CeOCl-CeO2(0.2)/Mo2C@3DNC exhibits impressive HER activity, with a low overpotential of 156 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm-2 coupled with a slight Tafel slope of 62.20 mV dec-1. Introducing a Ce promoter, that is CeOCl and CeO2, would endow the interface with an internal electric field and electron redistribution between CeOCl-CeO2 and Mo2C induced by the heterogeneous work function difference. Moreover, experimental investigation and density functional calculations confirm that the CeOCl-CeO2/Mo2C heterointerface can downshift the d-band center of the active Mo center, weakening the strength of the Mo-H coupling. This proposed concept, engineering Ce-based promoters into active entities involved in the heterostructure to modulate intermediate adsorption, offers a great opportunity for the design of superior electrocatalysts for energy conversion.

The design of chemisorption and catalysis synergistic defender for efficient room temperature sodium-sulfur batteries

Room temperature sodium-sulfur (RT-Na/S) batteries are a promising candidate for large-scale energy storage systems owing to their low manufacturing cost and high energy density. However, the severe shuttle effects and sluggish reaction kinetics hinder their practical application. Here, a Fe3Se4 nanoparticle anchored three-dimensional nitrogen-doped porous carbon nanosheet was designed as a functional defender to inhibit the shuttle effect and achieve high sulfur utilization. The porous carbon nanosheet builds a fast platform for electron and ion transport and acts as a limiting barrier for polysulfide dissolution and shuttling. Additionally, Fe3Se4 nanoparticles are incorporated to enhance the chemical anchoring and catalytic activity of polysulfides. The ex-situ characterization revealed that the Fe sites can feed electrons to polysulfides, thus facilitating the conversion of long-chain polysulfides to Na2S, resulting in high sulfur availability (323 mAh/g at 2 A/g) and long-term cycle life (72 % capacity retention at 1 A/g for 500 cycles).

Phosphorous-doped nickel-cobalt bimetallic molybdate/three-dimensional hierarchical porous carbon for high-efficiency solid-state supercapacitors

The limited electrical conductivity and insufficient quantity of electrochemically active sites in transition-metal oxides impede their extensive utilization in high-performance supercapacitors. Herein, we present a successful synthesis of phosphorus-doped NixCo1-xMoO4 (P-NCMO) on three-dimensional hierarchical porous carbon (HPC) derived from enzymatically hydrolyzed lignin through a co-precipitation pathway and subsequent phosphorylation process. The electrochemical performance was improved by optimizing the content of P doping. Additionally, the incorporation of phosphorus into P-NCMO led to a decrease in Co-O bonding energy and facilitated the formation of molybdenum species with lower oxidation states, thereby enhancing surface redox chemistry and improving electrochemical performance. As a result, the optimized HPC/P-NCMO-2 electrode exhibits a high specific capacity of 1003 C g−1 at a current density of 1 A g−1, and it maintains 89.87 % of its initial capacity after 10,000 cycles at a current density of 1 A g−1. The optimized HPC/P-NCMO-2 assembled as the positive electrode and activated carbon as the negative electrode in an asymmetric supercapacitor delivers a high energy density of 94.7 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 800 W kg−1, while maintaining excellent cycle life.

High-performance Na3V2(PO4)3 cathode material embedded in three-dimensional porous carbon derived from tea leaves

Among various known positive electrode materials for sodium-ion batteries, polyanion-type cathode materials are the preferred system for high stability and high safety of sodium-ion batteries. Especially, Na3V2(PO4)3 has enormous development potential. This work uses tea as a biomass carbon source to uniformly grow Na3V2(PO4)3 crystals into a three-dimensional porous carbon framework through a facile sol–gel method. The prepared Na3V2(PO4)3/C presents a three-dimensional porous carbon conductive network structure, and its electrochemical performance is significantly improved compared to the pristine material. The Na3V2(PO4)3/C material exhibits a high initial discharge specific capacity of up to 110.6 mAh g−1 at 0.1 C within 2.0–4.0 V.

High-performance flexible asymmetric supercapacitor utilizing hierarchical NiCo2O4 nanosheets supported on porous carbonized Verbena leaves

This study employed three-dimensional porous carbon with high surface area as the conductive substrate for composite electrode materials, aiming to facilitate rapid charge transfer and ion diffusion to increase the specific capacitance of pseudo-capacitive materials. We employed an in-situ hydrothermal method to anchor NiCo2O4 onto the porous carbonized verbena leaves, yielding nanostructured VC@NiCo2O4-8 composite electrode materials. At a current density of 1.0 A g-1, VC@NiCo2O4-8 exhibited a high specific capacitance of up to 2061.8 F g−1 and remarkable cycling stability (with only 7.8 % capacitance loss after 10000 cycles). Additionally, we assembled VC@NiCo2O4-8//VC asymmetric all-solid-state flexible supercapacitors, attaining a significant energy density of 54.0 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 695 W kg−1, while maintaining good flexibility and stability. This study provides a simple and effective method for the design and construction of high-performance electrode materials for flexible energy storage devices.

Platinum nanowires/MXene nanosheets/porous carbon ternary nanocomposites for in situ monitoring of dopamine released from neuronal cells

Dopamine is an important neurotransmitter in the body and closely related to many neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, the detection of dopamine is of great significance for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, screening of drugs and unraveling of relevant pathogenic mechanisms. However, the low concentration of dopamine in the body and the complexity of the matrix make the accurate detection of dopamine challenging. Herein, an electrochemical sensor is constructed based on ternary nanocomposites consisting of one-dimensional Pt nanowires, two-dimensional MXene nanosheets, and three-dimensional porous carbon. The Pt nanowires exhibit excellent catalytic activity due to the abundant grain boundaries and highly undercoordinated atoms; MXene nanosheets not only facilitate the growth of Pt nanowires, but also enhance the electrical conductivity and hydrophilicity; and the porous carbon helps induce significant adsorption of dopamine on the electrode surface. In electrochemical tests, the ternary nanocomposite-based sensor achieves an ultra-sensitive detection of dopamine (S/N = 3) with a low limit of detection (LOD) of 28 nM, satisfactory selectivity and excellent stability. Furthermore, the sensor can be used for the detection of dopamine in serum and in situ monitoring of dopamine release from PC12 cells. Such a highly sensitive nanocomposite sensor can be exploited for in situ monitoring of important neurotransmitters at the cellular level, which is of great significance for related drug screening and mechanistic studies.

In situ loading of ZnO on hierarchical porous carbon derived from banana-peel waste to enrich mechanism for microwave absorption

Biomass has received widespread attention due to its easy availability, low cost, and environmental friendliness as an electromagnetic wave absorber candidate. Inspired by the natural porosity of biomass, the three-dimensional (3D) porous carbon materials derived from banana peels were prepared via coordination and pyrolysis carbonization. A conductive network of biomass-zinc complexes was constructed by introducing Zn2+ to coordinate with organic polymers. Hierarchical porous carbon/ZnO composites with a 3D skeleton network were obtained, which demonstrated outstanding electromagnetic wave absorption performance with an effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) of 6.72 GHz and the reflection loss (RL) of −44.18 dB. The banana peel-derived porous carbon (BPC) embedded with ZnO particles brings about conductive loss and interface polarization, further enriching the microwave loss mechanisms. This work offers a fresh idea for creating a green, sustainable, and high-value functional carbon-based composite material.

A Sustainable and Cost-Effective Nitrogen-Doped Three-Dimensional Porous Carbon for High-Performance Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Affordable clean energy is one of the major sustainable development goals that can transform our world. At present, researchers are working to develop cheap electrode materials to develop energy storage devices, the Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery is considered a promising energy storage device owing to its excellent theoretical specific capacity and energy density. Herein, utilizing the ramie degumming waste liquid as raw materials, after freeze-drying and high-temperature calcination, a sustainable and cost-effective three-dimensional (3D) porous nitrogen-doped ramie carbon (N-RC) was synthesized. The N-RC calcined at 800 °C (N-RC-800) shows a superior high specific surface area of 1491.85 m2 ⋅ g-1 and a notable high pore volume of 0.90 cm3 ⋅ g-1. When employed as a sulfur host, the S@N-RC-800 cathode illustrates excellent initial discharge capacity (1120.6 mAh ⋅ g-1) and maintains a reversible capacity of 625.4 mAh ⋅ g-1 after 500 cycles at 1 C. Simultaneously, the S@N-RC-800 cathode also shows excellent coulombic efficiency and ideal rate performance. Such exceptional electrochemical performance of S@N-RC-800 can be primarily attributable to N-RC's high specific surface area, high porosity, and abundant polar functional groups. This green and low-cost synthesis strategy offers a new avenue for harnessing the potential of waste biomass in the context of clean energy storage.

Promoting the systematic utilization of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) through waste asphalt-derived carbon in batteries applications

The current recycling efficiency of recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) remains low, leading to significant non-renewable resource wastage. Herein, we proposed a method for utilizing RAP based on the aging characteristics of waste asphalt, which separates RAP into two parts: waste asphalt and aggregate. The separated aggregate can be reused for road construction, and the separated asphalt is converted into the negative electrode material of lithium-ion battery after oxygen enrichment treatment and carbonization. In the process of carbonization, the waste asphalt formed a three-dimensional porous carbon structure and C-O configuration suitable for lithium storage under the effect of oxygen elements. This carbon material exhibits a specific capacity of ∼ 645 mAh g–1 at 0.1 A g–1 current density, while the capacity remains ∼ 97 % after 800 cycles at 0.2 A g–1. The DFT calculation results demonstrate the enhanced adsorption of Li-ion near the C-O configuration, which further proves the beneficial effect of oxygen incorporation. By efficiently separating aggregate from waste asphalt, this study explores favorable conditions for waste asphalt utilization, enhances RAP reuse efficiency, and provides dual benefits in terms of energy conservation and environmental protection.

Limited Domain SnSb@N-PC Composite Material as a High-Performance Anode for Sodium Ion Batteries

Anode materials have a vital influence on the performance of sodium ion batteries. In this paper, SnSb nanoparticles were distributed uniformly in N-doped three-dimensional porous carbon (SnSb@N-PC), which effectively avoided the agglomeration of alloy nanoparticles and greatly improved the capacity retention rate of SnSb@N-PC. At the same time, the porous carbon substrate brings higher conductivity, larger specific surface area, and more sodium storage sites, which makes the material obtain excellent sodium storage properties. The first discharge-specific capacity of SnSb@N-PC was 846.3 mAh g−1 at the current density of 0.1 A g−1, and the specific capacity remained at 483 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles. Meanwhile, the specific capacity of SnSb@N-PC was kept at 323 mAh g−1 after 400 cycles at a high current density of 1.5 A g−1, which indicated that the recombination of SnSb with porous carbon played a key role in the electrochemical performance of SnSb. The contribution of capacitance contrast capacity was able to reach more than 90% by the cyclic voltammetry (CV) test at high sweep speed, and larger Na+ diffusivity was obtained by the constant current intermittent titration technique (GITT) test, which explains the good rate performance of SnSb@N-PC.

Enhanced potassium-ion battery performance with Bi Nanoparticle-Infused 3D porous carbon composites

Bismuth (Bi) based materials are widely utilized in potassium-ion batteries (PIBs) due to their high theoretical capacity; however, they undergo severe volume changes during electrochemical processes. To develop Bi-based anode with extended lifespan, Bi nanoparticles and porous carbon materials were composited by a template method in this study. N-doped three-dimensional porous carbon coated Bi nanoparticles (Bi@3DNC) composites were successfully synthesized by using sodium chloride as a template and anchoring Bi nanoparticles on a porous carbon skeleton. Bi@3DNC exhibits excellent electrochemical performance as an anode material for PIBs, retaining a capacity of 273 mAh/g after 700 cycles at 1 A/g. We elucidate that the 3D porous carbon mesh serves to confine the alloying particles and buffer the volume expansion of the metal during continuous K+ de-intercalation, while also enhancing the availability of active sites. This strategy offers promising prospects for the development of advanced metal based anodes for PIBs.

Modulation in work function of CoTe as bifunctional electrocatalyst for rechargeable zinc air battery

The sluggish kinetics and inferior stability of oxygen electrocatalyst in rechargeable zinc air battery (ZAB) hamper its industrialization. In this work, we activate cobalt telluride (CoTe) by introduction of metallic cobalt (Co) to modulate the work function to facilitate the electron transfer from Co to CoTe during oxygen catalysis; additionally, the three-dimensional porous carbon nanosheets (3DPC) are invited to reduce the resistance towards electrolyte/oxygen diffusion. Thereby, Co-CoTe@3DPC only demands 280 mV overpotential to reach 10 mA cm−2 under alkaline oxygen evolution reaction (OER) condition, relatively lower than commercial iridium oxides (IrO2); besides, the operando electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) indicates a better resistance towards surface reconstruction than Co@3DPC leading to a superior stability. A Pt-like oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) performance, half-wave potential associated with kinetic current density, is achieved for Co-CoTe@3DPC. A maximum power density of 203 mW cm−2 is achieved and sustains for 800 h. Furthermore, the all-solid-state ZAB offers 97 mW cm−2. Theoretical calculation suggests that the incorporation of metallic Co to CoTe maintains the superb ORR activity and promotes the OER catalysis.

Boron-manganese-nitrogen co-doped three-dimensional porous carbon realizes superior capacitive lithium-ion storage

Three-dimensional (3D) porous carbon has sufficient specific surface area and anchor positioning points. The pore structure facilitates uniform charge distribution, and buffers volume changes during stripping. However, single carbon materials have limited theoretical capacity and short cycle life. Here, 3D porous carbon material BCN/Mn-6 (B,N and Mn co-doped porous carbon with 6 mmol Mn content) co-doped with manganese, boron and nitrogen was synthesized by heat treatment. Affective modulation of the material structure and surface functional groups was achieved by adjusting the amount of manganese doping. The metal element doping can promote the diffusion of lithium ions, and the formed vacancies and defects can be used as lithium storage sites. Nitrogen doping can improve the dispersion and stability of metals and oxides, and regulate the redox capacity. Co-doping of metals and heteroatoms synergistically improves electrical conductivity. Thus, BCN/Mn-6 exhibits excellent cycling stability (99.60 % Coulombic efficiency after 300 cycles) and specific capacity (779.9 mAh/g), and shows capacity rise. This study provides a new direction for the preparation of carbon-based electrode materials doped with heteroatoms and the study of capacitive energy storage mechanisms.

Elaborate construction of honeycomb-like porous carbon with embedment of N-doped carbon nanotubes as efficient electrocatalyst for zinc-air battery

Devising the synthesis strategy and uncovering the evolution mechanism of carbon-based materials are critical to the development of efficient oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalysts for renewable energy storage systems. This study reports a hierarchical ORR electrocatalyst, Co@N-CNTs/3DHC, which features ultrafine cobalt nanoparticles embedded in nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (Co@N-CNTs) and Co@N-CNTs firmly anchored in the nano-chambers of a three-dimensional honeycomb-like porous carbon (3DHC). The synthesis strategy of Co@N-CNTs/3DHC involves the initial construction of a precursor, followed by controllable pyrolysis step. Based on detailed analysis of both evolved gases and carbonized products of precursors, the evolution mechanism of Co@N-CNTs/3DHC is specifically proposed. Prompted by the electron reconfiguration, extensive reaction interface and fast mass-transfer pathway, the as-synthesized hierarchical Co@N-CNTs/3DHC displays superior ORR activity in alkaline media (0.88 V of half-wave potential) compared to commercial Pt/C. Impressively, zinc-air battery equipped with Co@N-CNTs/3DHC cathode presents outstanding discharge voltage and exceptional stability. This work highlights a unique perspective on the synthesis strategy and growth mechanism of Co@N-CNTs@3DHC toward creation of hierarchical 3D carbon-based composite for advanced electrochemical energy devices.

Laser-Scribed Graphene for Human Health Monitoring: From Biophysical Sensing to Biochemical Sensing.

Laser-scribed graphene (LSG), a classic three-dimensional porous carbon nanomaterial, is directly fabricated by laser irradiation of substrate materials. Benefiting from its excellent electrical and mechanical properties, along with flexible and simple preparation process, LSG has played a significant role in the field of flexible sensors. This review provides an overview of the critical factors in fabrication, and methods for enhancing the functionality of LSG. It also highlights progress and trends in LSG-based sensors for monitoring physiological indicators, with an emphasis on device fabrication, signal transduction, and sensing characteristics. Finally, we offer insights into the current challenges and future prospects of LSG-based sensors for health monitoring and disease diagnosis.

In Situ Laser-Induced 3D Porous Graphene within Transparent Polymers for Encapsulation-Free and Tunable Ultrabroadband Terahertz Absorption.

Three-dimensional (3D) porous carbon materials have great potential for fabricating flexible tunable broadband absorbers owing to their high electrical conductivity, strong dielectric loss, and unique microstructure. Herein, we introduce an innovative method for synthesizing 3D porous graphene that incorporates advanced tuning and encapsulation processes to augment its functional efficacy. Through the modulation of both thermal and nonthermal interactions between a femtosecond (fs) laser and a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) film, we have synergistically fine-tuned the surface morphology and lattice properties of 3D porous graphene. This approach enabled us to create a flexible terahertz (THz) absorber with customizable characteristics, boasting an impressive absorbance range of 80%-99% in the 0.4-1.0 THz spectrum, alongside a peak reflection loss (RL) of up to 35.6 dB. Furthermore, we have successfully demonstrated the production of photoinduced 3D porous graphene within a PDMS film, which serves as both a carbon precursor and protective layer. This simplifies the conventional packaging process. These devices exhibit a RL of up to 41.6 dB and an absorption bandwidth of 2.5 THz (0.6-3.1 THz). Our study presents a production methodology for high-performance, flexible THz absorbers, offering a straightforward and innovative solution for the rapid development of sophisticated, flexible THz absorbing materials.