Preparation of hierarchical micro-meso porous carbon and carbon nanofiber from polyacrylonitrile/polysulfone polymer via one-step carbonization for supercapacitor electrodes. (10th February 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wang, He; Wang, Hongjie; Sun, Ran; Yao, Lan; Zuo, Hongmei; Ruan, Fangtao; Feng, Quan; Wang, Jianli
• Is Part Of: Electrochimica acta. Volume 441(2023)
• Publication Date: 2023-02-10
• Subjects: Carbon nanofiber -- Porous carbon -- Polyacrylonitrile -- Supercapacitor -- Electrode; Electrochemistry -- Periodicals; Electrochemistry, Industrial -- Periodicals; 541.37
• DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2023.141827
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0013-4686

Abstract

Highlights: The same polymer precursor of polyacrylonitrile/polysulfone is used to prepare carbon nanofiber and porous carbon. Polysulfone can be as a sacrificial polymer to prepare carbon nanofiber with a large specific surface area. Both carbon nanofiber and porous carbon electrodes show excellent electrochemical performances. The carbon nanofiber electrode has a higher specific capacitance of ∼ 360 f g −1 than the PC electrode ∼ 290 f g −1 at 10 mV s −1 . Abstract: Currently, the supercapacitor attracts much attention because of its long cycling life, fast charge-discharge, high power density, and excellent security. Carbon-based active materials have already become promising electrode materials for supercapacitors, which determine the performance of supercapacitors. Compared to other carbon-based active materials, carbon nanofiber (CNF) and porous carbon (PC) have many advantages of low cost, easy manufacture, good conductivity, and stability. However, it is still a challenge to prepare CNF and PC electrodes used for supercapacitors with excellent physical-chemical properties through simple strategies. Herein, we innovatively use the same precursor, i. e. polyacrylonitrile/polysulfone blend polymer to prepare CNF and PC through one-step carbonization. The morphologies, chemical elements, graphitization extents, and porosity textures of as-prepared carbon materials are analyzed by Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD)/Raman, and N2 physisorption, respectively. Both CNF and PC have large specific surface areas, hierarchical micro-meso pores, and perfect graphitization extents, which show excellent electrochemical performances when they are used as electrodes in supercapacitors. By contrast, the CNF electrode has a higher specific capacitance of ∼ 360 F g −1 than the PC electrode ∼ 290 F g −1 at 10 mV s −1 . The difference in results may stem from the larger surface area, interconnected fiber-fiber structure, and nanoscale structure within CNF. Graphical abstract: Image, graphical abstract