Facile synthesis of cellulose-based carbon with tunable N content for potential supercapacitor application. (15th August 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chen, Zehong; Peng, Xinwen; Zhang, Xiaoting; Jing, Shuangshuang; Zhong, Linxin; Sun, Runcang
• Is Part Of: Carbohydrate polymers. Volume 170(2017)
• Page Start: 107
• Page End: 116
• Publication Date: 2017-08-15
• Subjects: Cellulose -- Lignocellulose -- Porous carbon -- Supercapacitor; Polysaccharides -- Periodicals; Polysaccharides -- Periodicals; Polysaccharides -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 547.78
• DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2017.04.063
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0144-8617

Abstract

Highlights: Hierarchical N-doped porous carbon was cost-efficiently synthesized from cellulose. The doping N can be easily tunable, and has a remarkable impact on porous carbon. The doping N can significantly improve the supercapacitance of porous carbon. Abstract: Producing hierarchical porous N-doped carbon from renewable biomass is an essential and sustainable way for future electrochemical energy storage. Herein we cost-efficiently synthesized N-doped porous carbon from renewable cellulose by using urea as a low-cost N source, without any activation process. The as-prepared N-doped porous carbon (N-doped PC) had a hierarchical porous structure with abundant macropores, mesopores and micropores. The doping N resulted in more disordered structure, and the doping N content in N-doped PC could be easily tunable (0.68–7.64%). The doping N functionalities could significantly improve the supercapacitance of porous carbon, and even a little amount of doping N (e.g. 0.68%) could remarkably improve the supercapacitance. The as-prepared N-doped PC with a specific surface area of 471.7 m 2 g −1 exhibited a high specific capacitance of 193 F g −1 and a better rate capability, as well as an outstanding cycling stability with a capacitance retention of 107% after 5000 cycles. Moreover, the N-doped porous carbon had a high energy density of 17.1 W h kg −1 at a power density of 400 W kg −1 .