Three-dimensional Porous Carbon Research Articles

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.

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.

Hierarchical core-shell transitional metal chalcogenides Co9S8/ CoSe2@C nanocube embedded into porous carbon for tunable and efficient microwave absorption

In the domain of electromagnetic (EM) wave absorbing materials, the selection of suitable components and microstructures is an effective approach for designing the intense coupling of wave impedance and EM dissipation. In this study, we have successfully fabricated a double-carbon modified Co9S8/CoSe2 nanocube, where the core-shell Co9S8/CoSe2@C cube was anchored onto porous carbon (PC). The existence of three-dimensional (3D) porous carbon and the fabrication of Co9S8/CoSe2@C distributed on carbon nanosheets contribute to the improvement of conduction, magnetic losses, and the optimization of impedance matching. Substantial heterogeneous interfaces are generated between Co9S8, CoSe2, carbon shells, and PC, leading to extensive interfacial polarization and facilitating the transformation of EM energy into thermal energy. The abundant defects, S and Se vacancies in carbon component can act as polarization centers, inducing dipolar polarization and thus increasing the electromagnetic wave (EMW) loss. The Co9S8/CoSe2@C@PC exhibits the best microwave absorption properties, with a minimum reflection loss (RLmin) of −64.1 dB at 2.5 mm and an effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) of 6.3 GHz. The High-Frequency Structure Simulator results indicate the RCS values of the samples within the range of -90 °C < θ < 90 °C are lower than -20 dB m2, which can achieve almost full-angle coverage in the actual environment. This research offers inspiration and strategies for the design and synthesis of multi-component magneto-electric composites based on transitional metal chalcogenides.

Advanced characterization of confined electrochemical interfaces in electrochemical capacitors.

The advancement of high-performance fast-charging materials has significantly propelled progress in electrochemical capacitors (ECs). Electrochemical capacitors store charges at the nanoscale electrode material-electrolyte interface, where the charge storage and transport mechanisms are mediated by factors such as nanoconfinement, local electrode structure, surface properties and non-electrostatic ion-electrode interactions. This Review offers a comprehensive exploration of probing the confined electrochemical interface using advanced characterization techniques. Unlike classical two-dimensional (2D) planar interfaces, partial desolvation and image charges play crucial roles in effective charge storage under nanoconfinement in porous materials. This Review also highlights the potential of zero charge as a key design principle driving nanoscale ion fluxes and carbon-electrolyte interactions in materials such as 2D and three-dimensional (3D) porous carbons. These considerations are crucial for developing efficient and rapid energy storage solutions for a wide range of applications.

3D Graphene-Like Carbon Structures from Poly(Acrylic Acid): A Novel Synthetic Route.

Emerging contaminants, such as the hormone 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE), in aquatic environments pose a serious risk to both human and environmental health, making efficient removal essential. This study evaluated the effectiveness of three-dimensional porous carbon structures derived from poly(acrylic acid) (PAAc, Carbopol 990) as adsorbents for removing EE from aqueous solutions. Activated carbon materials were prepared using varying ratios of KOH as an activating agent (PAAc : KOH; 1 : 0 AAC, 1 : 1 AC1, 1 : 2 AC2, and 1 : 3 AC3). Adsorption tests were conducted by adding 10 mg of the adsorbent to 40 mL of an EE solution (100 ppm, 20 % acetonitrile in water). Analyses including TGA, XRD, and Raman spectroscopy were performed to evaluate the materials' structural properties and adsorption capacities. Among the materials, AC3 exhibited the highest adsorption capacity for EE (238 mg g-1), followed by AC2 (153 mg g-1) and AC1 (82 mg g-1). The superior efficiency of AC3 can be attributed to its larger surface area and pore volume, enabling greater interaction with EE molecules. These materials demonstrated higher adsorption capacities compared to commercial activated carbons and single-walled carbon nanotubes. This work opens new possibilities for developing efficient adsorbents, contributing to more effective and sustainable solutions for water purification and environmental protection.

Chromium Oxide Nanoparticles Anchored in Hydrogel-Derived Three-Dimensional N-Doped Porous Carbon Anode Materials as Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Transition metal oxides (TMOs) have been identified as the most promising anode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, these materials tend to undergo volumetric expansion during battery operation, which disrupts their internal structure and ultimately leads to a degradation of battery performance. Cr2O3/N-doped porous carbon (Cr2O3@NC) composites were successfully synthesized through high-temperature calcination using Cr2O3-containing hydrogels as precursors. The results show that the carbon material not only improves the electron transfer ability of Cr2O3 but also effectively prevents its agglomeration. The Cr2O3@CN composite as a novel anode material for LIBs exhibits a reversible capacity of 936 mAh g-1 after 200 cycles at a current density of 1 A g-1, showcasing excellent cycling and structural stability during cycling. Scanning electron microscopy analysis reveals that the Cr2O3@NC composite remains structurally intact throughout cycling. The innovative approach proposed in this study provides a new direction for the advancement of electrode materials for energy storage technologies.

(Fe, Co) oxide nanowires on gold nanoparticles modified MOF-derived carbon nanoflakes for high-efficiency sodium-ion batteries and supercapacitors across electrolytes

The three-dimensional conductive porous carbon nanosheets (CPCN) are from the bimetallic metal-organic framework (MOFs) consisting of organic ligating groups that incorporate zinc and cobalt ions deposited onto a flexible carbon cloth (CC). Utilizing a hydrothermal approach, iron-cobalt oxide (FCO) nanowires are intricately embedded onto CPCN modified with gold (Au), forming a flexible FCO/Au/CPCN@CC electrode. The electrochemical characteristics of electrodes are evaluated in 1 M Na2SO4, supercapacitor's storage capacity is tested at 4 V using 1 M NaPF6 electrolyte. Among its remarkable attributes are a peak energy density of 291.5 W h kg−1 achieved at a power density of 153.85 W kg−1, and even at the maximum power density of 1749.9 W kg−1, it maintains 144.78 W h kg−1. Undergoing 10,000 rounds of GCD, the equipment sustains a capacitance retention of 84.27 %. Moreover, the performance of the FCO/Au/CPCN@CC anode in sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) is assessed. At 0.1C, the discharge capacity reaches 958 mAh g−1, and there is almost no loss after the rate cycle. The Coulomb efficiency surpasses 98 % during 500 cycles at a large C-rate. The integration of Au nanoparticles onto the CPNC surface enhances the energy storage characteristic of the FCO/Au/CPCN@CC composite material in both battery and supercapacitor applications.

FeN4S1 Single-Atom Sites Anchored on Three-Dimensional Porous Carbon for Highly Efficient and Durable Oxygen Electrocatalysis.

Precisely designing asymmetric active centers and exploring their electronic regulation effects to prepare efficient bifunctional single-atom catalysts (SACs) is important for boosting the practical applications of zinc-air batteries (ZABs). Herein, an effective strategy has been developed by introducing an axial S atom to the FeN4 active center, simultaneously assisted by pyrolyzing the graphene oxide (GO) sheathed zeolitic-imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF8) composite and constructing a three-dimensional (3D) porous framework with abundant FeN4S1 moieties. This structure can accelerate the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) kinetics owing to the modulated electronic redistribution and d-band center with a reduced energy barrier. The optimal S-Fe-NC/rGO showcases a lower voltage gap (ΔE) of 0.64 V between both the ORR and OER half-wave potentials at 10 mA cm-2, highlighting the excellent bifunctional activities. The assembled S-Fe-NC/rGO rechargeable liquid ZABs deliver a power density of 154.05 mW·cm-2 and a desirable durability of >900 h. More importantly, the corresponding flexible solid-state ZABs exhibit considerable foldability.

The synergistic effects on the magnetic CoNi and Fe3O4 nanoparticles co-embedded porous carbon toward enhanced microwave absorbing performance

Abstract Lightweight and environmentally friendly three-dimensional biomass-derived porous carbon (3D BPC) holds great potential as a highly effective material for microwave absorption (MA) applications. However, the high complex permittivity and lack of magnetic loss in a single 3D BPC lead to impedance mismatching and a limited absorption bandwidth. Developing 3D BPC–based absorbers with multiple loss mechanisms and excellent impedance matching remains a notable yet challenging task. In this study, inspired by a synergistic composition and microstructure design, 3D BPC co-embedded with magnetic cobalt–nickel (CoNi) and iron(III) oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles (3D BPC@CoNi@Fe3O4) was developed. 3D BPC@CoNi@Fe3O4 exhibited consistently low complex permittivity, primarily due to the suppression of conductive loss, whereas the introduction of magnetic phases (CoNi and Fe3O4) enhanced the magnetic loss. Optimised impedance matching, achieved through the synergistic regulation of the electromagnetic parameters, emerged as the key mechanism for improving the MA properties. The as-synthesised 3D BPC@CoNi@Fe3O4 composite, with only 20 wt.% loading demonstrated a wide effective absorption bandwidth (reflection loss [RL] &lt; −10 dB) of 6.08 GHz and an impressive minimum RL value of −40.08 dB. These findings offer valuable insights into the development of high-performance 3D BPC–based microwave absorbers through composition and microstructure optimisation.

A novel RuP2-infused heteroatom-doped porous carbon for high-durability lithium-sulfur batteries

Nitrogen and phosphorus co-doped three-dimensional porous carbon encapsulated ruthenium diphosphide (PCS900@RuP2-2) is successfully synthesized via a phytic acid-assisted phosphating process. The resulting RuP2 nanoparticles, ranging in size from 10 to 50 nm, are encapsulated within a carbon matrix, providing a stable catalytic structure. Nitrogen adsorption and desorption tests reveal that PCS900@RuP2-2/S possesses a high specific surface area and a rich micro/mesoporous structure. This high porosity facilitates multi-directional ion diffusion and offers ample buffer space to accommodate sulfur volume expansion during cycling. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations confirm that PCS900@RuP2-2/S enables efficient adsorption of soluble polysulfides, thereby minimizing the notorious "shuttle effect." Electrochemical testing demonstrates the remarkable durability of PCS900@RuP2-2/S. After 500 cycles at a 1 C current density, the reversible capacity remains at 511.6 mAh g⁻¹, with an average capacity decay rate of just 0.047 % per cycle. Even under heavy sulfur loading conditions (4.2 mg cm⁻²), the composite maintains a high reversible capacity of 386.6 mAh g⁻¹ after 500 cycles. The combination of high porosity, stable catalytic structure, and efficient redox reaction facilitation contributes to the exceptional performance and longevity of PCS900@RuP2–2/S.

Highly efficient nitrogen-doped three-dimensional interconnected porous carbon supported heterogeneous Co/MnO nanoparticles oxygen electrocatalysts for rechargeable zinc air batteries

Rechargeable zinc-air batteries (RZABs) show great promising in the current energy storage system because of their high energy density, low cost and high safety. However, RZABs’ cycling performance is still unsatisfactory due to the sluggish oxygen reduction and oxygen evolution reaction kinetics of air electrode. Transition Metal Oxides (TMOs) are considered to be highly promising oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts for RZABs by high activity, robust stability and low cost. Here, the nitrogen-doped three-dimensional interconnected porous carbon supported heterogeneous Co/MnO nanoparticles composite (Co/MnO-NCs) as the air cathode in RZAB is synthesized via annealing method. The NCs not only provide efficient electron transfer channels but also significantly increases the specific surface area of the catalyst, exposing more reaction sites. MnO can effectively facilitate charge transfer and accelerate the decomposition reactions. The heterogeneous Co/MnO interface provides efficient reaction sites for the ORR/OER. Electrochemical results show that the prepared Co/MnO-NCs composite not only exhibits excellent ORR/OER performance but also demonstrates good stability. Furthermore, RZABs assembled by Co/MnO-NCs air cathode exhibit high open circuit voltage, high specific capacity and durable cyclic stability. This strategy has broad versatility and can be generalized to other TMOs electrocatalysts for RZABs.

Incorporation of Mo2C nanoparticles to pollen-derived 3D porous carbon as electrocatalyst for high performance lithium-sulfur batteries

The practical application and development of lithium‑sulfur (LiS) batteries are limited by the slow redox reaction kinetics and shuttle effect of polysulfide lithium (LiPSs). To address these issues, three-dimensional porous carbon (PC, derived from rapeseed pollen) modified with molybdenum carbide (Mo2C) nanoparticles is prepared by a simple and environment-friendly method. On the one hand, the PC-Mo2C host material can facilitate the uniform loading of sulfur and reduce its volume expansion due to its porous carbon structure. On the other hand, it mitigates the shuttle effect by effective chemical adsorption of LiPSs to form strong physical confinement and catalyze the conversion of LiPSs via the aid of the decorated Mo2C nanoparticles. Density functional theoretical calculations also illustrate the Mo2C nanoparticles are capable of inhibiting the shuttle of LiPSs and further improving the cycling stability. The results show that the PC-Mo2C/S electrode exhibits excellent electrochemical performance with high cycle stability (fading rate of 0.066 % per cycle at 0.2C and 0.054 % per cycle at 1C) and outstanding rate capacity (623.2 mAh g−1 at 5C).

Enhancing microbial fuel cell performance with free-standing three-dimensional N-doped porous carbon anodes

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) utilize microorganisms as catalysts to transform the chemical energy to electrical power. However, the practical application of MFCs is currently impeded by low power output, which is caused by insufficient microbial colonization on the anode, slow extracellular electron transfer at the microbe-anode interface, and low oxygen reduction reaction catalytic efficiency at the cathode. Herein, a three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical porous anode of Carbonization-CTS-MF/rGOtempreture (CCMF/rGOT) by pyrolyzing crosslinked composite of melamine formaldehyde resin (MF), chitosan (CTS) and graphene oxide (GO). The macroporous anode provides a biocompatible surface for exoelectrogens and 3D electron transfer pathways. In addition, an appropriate balance of graphitic-N and pyrrolic-N content optimizes both conductivity and the number of active sites, thereby synergistically enhancing extracellular electron transfer (EET) efficiency. Therefore, the power density of CCMF/rGO1000 anode is 11.28 W/m3, which surpasses the CCMF1000 anode without 3D reduced graphene oxide (rGO) conductive network (10.04 W/m3), and traditional carbon cloth anode (4.36 W/m3). Moreover, the anode runs stably for more than 200 days with a maximum operating voltage of 0.69 V, which achieves chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal rate of 95.4 %. This work provides a promising strategy to prepare a free-standing 3D anode with enriched exoelectrogens and enhanced EET to improve the MFCs performance.

Biomass-based three-dimensional network porous carbon anodes derived from discontinuous activation for high performance Li-ion batteries

An approach of discontinuous activation and frozon-dry pretreatment toward a three-dimensional network porous carbon was proposed by using apple as the carbon source. The porous carbon, characterized by its high surface area and abundant porosity, was optimized through the manipulation of temperature and activator quantities during the activation process. The sample obtained by first calcining at 500 °C and then at 800 °C shows ultra-high rate electrochemical performance of over 900 mA h g−1 after 100 cycles and over 500 mA h g−1 after 500 cycles under the condition of charging and discharging current density of 0.2 A g−1 due to the high porosity. It is ascribed to the unique porous structure that can make the electrolyte and lithium ion transport and path short on the surface and inside the electrode material, further enhance its fast transport ability. The described approach represents an innovative and potentially impactful method for producing porous carbon electrodes with excellent electrochemical performance, particularly in the context of high-rate capability lithium-ion batteries.

Engineering rare earth metal Ce-N coordination as catalyst for high redox kinetics in lithium-sulfur batteries

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries are a key area of research in energy storage due to their high theoretical energy density, low cost, and environmental friendliness. However, the shuttle effect caused by lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) intermediates often results in poor cycling stability. Therefore, constructing rational cathode structures to achieve fast reaction kinetics in adsorbing and catalyzing LiPSs is the key to obtain high-performance Li-S batteries. Metallic single-atom catalysts (SACs), known for their 100 % atomic utilization rate and low cost, have demonstrated excellent catalytic activity and selectivity in the redox reactions of Li-S batteries, positioning them as one of the most promising catalysts in this field. Rare earth metallic SACs with versatile oxidation states, diverse coordination chemistry and environmentally friendly are rarely investigated in Li-S system. Herein, we fabricate a rare earth metal-based single-atom catalyst (CeSAs) supported on a three-dimensional porous N-doped carbon (3DCeSA-N-WS), and systematically study its performance in Li-S batteries. Benefitting from the atomic dispersion and versatile oxidation states (Ce3+/Ce4+), the 3DCeSA-N-WS demonstrates excellent performance in anchoring and catalyzing LiPSs, significantly enhancing the redox reaction kinetics. Consequently, the prepared sulfur cathode exhibits exceptional electrochemical performance, with a high initial specific discharge capacity of 1225 mAh g−1 at 0.2 C and a capacity retention of 76.1 % after 160 cycles. The assembled 100 mAh-level pouch cellmaintains a high specific discharge capacity of 877 mAh g−1 after 50 cycles at 0.5 C. This work provides new insights into the design of sulfur cathode catalysts, thereby contributing to the realization of high-performance Li-S batteries.

Co-crosslinking and anchoring strategy: One-step preparation of N-doped porous carbon for supercapacitors and zinc ion hybrid capacitors

Porous carbon has been widely used in aqueous capacitors due to its wide source, high stability, and controllable preparation. However, the two-step preparation strategy of carbonization and activation with complex operation and serious energy consumption severely limits its further application. In this paper, resorcinol/urea-furfural resin was successfully prepared by using cleaner and greener furfural as raw material and co-crosslinking with resorcinol and urea under the action of catalyst. It is noteworthy that during the curing process, KOH is uniformly anchored inside the resin, so the system only needs one-step high-temperature pyrolysis to obtain a N-doped ant-nest-like three-dimensional interconnected porous carbon material. Consequently, the porous carbon exhibited an impressive specific capacitance of 283F g−1. The assembled symmetrical device shows a capacitance retention of 92 % after 50 000 cycles, showing excellent cycle stability. In addition, the assembled zinc ion hybrid capacitor exhibits a capacitance of 138 mAh g−1 and an energy density of 111 Wh kg−1. The one-step carbonization-doping-activation strategy of this bottom-up in-situ anchoring activator will provide further insights into the hierarchical pore structure design of porous carbon and facilitate the simple and efficient preparation of carbon materials.

A K2C2O4/nano-CaCO3 dual-templated method to prepare rich nitrogen-doped hierarchical porous carbon with excellent lithium storage performance

Three-dimensional interconnected porous carbon with diverse guest element doping is considered one of the most promising anode materials in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) owing to their large lithium storage capacity and the acceleration effects on the electrochemical kinetics. However, the regulation of desirable pore structure and guest element amount and species for high energy density and stable cycling performance is still challenging. Herein, sucrose-based hierarchical N-doped porous carbon (SHC-750) is prepared via a facile one-step carbonization/activation process at 750 °C for 1 h. The K2C2O4 and nano-CaCO3 are employed as the dual activating-agent/template, and the urea is used as an N source. Benefiting from the hierarchical porous structure, abundant defects, and high amount of N/O-containing functional groups with a multi-chemical state, SHC-750 delivers an excellent reversible specific capacity (1051.2 mAh/g at 0.1 A/g and) and great cycling stability. Moreover, SHC-750 exhibits fast lithium ions diffusion kinetics, which is attributed to the special ordered and hierarchical pore structure. This work provides a new pathway for the preparation and application of 3D interconnected porous carbon materials in the field of electrodes.

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.

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.

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.