Carbons with narrow pore size distribution prepared by simultaneous carbonization and self-activation of tobacco stems and their application to supercapacitors. (January 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kleszyk, P.; Ratajczak, P.; Skowron, P.; Jagiello, J.; Abbas, Q.; Frąckowiak, E.; Béguin, F.
• Is Part Of: Carbon. Volume 81(2015)
• Page Start: 148
• Page End: 157
• Publication Date: 2015-01
• Subjects: Carbon -- Periodicals; Carbone -- Périodiques; Koolstof; Toepassingen; Electronic journals; 546.681
• DOI: 10.1016/j.carbon.2014.09.043
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0008-6223

Abstract

Abstract: Highly microporous carbons with narrow pore size distribution have been prepared by simultaneous carbonization and self-activation of tobacco wastes at temperatures ranging from 600 to 1000 °C. The efficiency of porosity development, without pores broadening, is attributed to well-distributed alkalis at the molecular level in the tobacco precursor. With Burley tobacco, the BET specific surface area and average micropore size L 0 increased up to 800 °C (Burley 800), where the values reached maxima of 1749 m 2 g −1 and 1.2 nm, respectively. At temperatures higher than 800 °C, annealing of the materials dominates and provokes a decrease of S BET and L 0 . Burley carbons were implemented in supercapacitors using 1 mol L −1 aqueous Li2 SO4 or 1 mol L −1 TEABF4 in acetonitrile. In both electrolytes, the capacitance of Burley carbons followed the same trend as S BET and L 0 . Burley 800 demonstrated outstanding capacitance values of 167 F g −1 (at 0.8 V limit) and 141 F g −1 (at 2.3 V limit) in 1 mol L −1 aqueous Li2 SO4 and 1 mol L −1 TEABF4, respectively. Such values, about 50% higher as compared to commercially available carbons, are attributed to the narrow pore size distribution of this carbon with a maximum of pores around 1.2 nm close to the size of solvated ions in these electrolytes.