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One-step synthesis of nitrogen-doped porous carbon for supercapacitors utilizing KNO3 as an electrolyte

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Abstract

Nitrogen-doped porous carbons were prepared using a facile method, with low-biotechnology fulvic acid potassium salts as a precursor. The prepared carbons had a high surface area (1623 m2 g−1) and good electrochemical properties, making them suitable electrode materials for supercapacitors. Nitrogen-doped porous carbons were tested as an electrode in both 6 M KOH aqueous solution and different concentrations KNO3 aqueous solution. The nitrogen-doped porous carbons with unique microstructure and nitrogen functionalities exhibited a capacitance of 235 F g−1 in a 6 M KOH aqueous solution. Electrochemical investigation showed that the nitrogen-doped porous carbons exhibited a broad potential operational window in a 2.5 M KNO3 aqueous solution. Furthermore, a high capacitance retention of 88.1 % was achieved even after 5000 cycles at 1.7 V. Potassium nitrate solutions in a wide range of concentrations were also proven to be promising electrolytes for electrochemical capacitors because they are cheap, noncorrosive, electrochemically stable, and compatible to diverse current collectors.

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Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC, Nos. 21364004), by the Provincial Natural Science Foundation of Gansu (1506RJZA102), and by the College Students Training Project for Creative and Entrepreneurship of China (201510731005).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Petrochemical Technology, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou, 730050, China

    Yan -Zheng Chen, Ping Li, Xia Zhao, Jian-Qiang Zhang & He-Ming Luo

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  1. Yan -Zheng Chen
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  2. Ping Li
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  3. Xia Zhao
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  4. Jian-Qiang Zhang
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  5. He-Ming Luo
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Correspondence to He-Ming Luo.

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Chen, Y.Z., Li, P., Zhao, X. et al. One-step synthesis of nitrogen-doped porous carbon for supercapacitors utilizing KNO3 as an electrolyte. J Solid State Electrochem 21, 171–181 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-016-3350-0

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