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A multi-template carbonization approach to hierarchically nanoporous carbon for high-performance supercapacitors

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Abstract

We demonstrate a multi-template carbonization approach to produce nanoporous carbon, without any complicated activation process. The mass ratio of Mg citrate, zinc metal, and Zn(OAc)2·2H2O as well as the carbonization temperature play decisive roles in determining the carbon pore structures. The electrochemical performances were investigated in a two-electrode system, using a mixture of 1-ethyl-3-methyl imidazolium tetrafluoroborate and acetonitrile as electrolyte. More importantly, the cell configuration was measured at different operation temperatures of 25/50/80 °C. The carbon-7# sample that was obtained using Mg citrate, zinc metal, and Zn(OAc)2·2H2O as starting materials (with a mass ratio between them of 1:1:1) at 800 °C delivers the best electrochemical behavior mostly reflected in its large Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area of 1,776.3 m2 g−1, high pore volume of 3.82 cm3 g−1, and hierarchical pore size distribution. It can exhibit good cycling stabilities and large specific capacitances of 152.2, 243.5, and 279.4 F g−1, respectively, at the operation temperatures of 25/50/80 °C. The corresponding energy densities are as high as 47.5, 75.9, and 87.2 Wh kg−1, respectively, in the case of power energy of 1.5 kW kg−1. The operation temperatures of 25/50/80 °C revealed in the present work can greatly broaden the supercapacitor application of nanoporous carbons under extreme circumstances.

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Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21101052), China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (20100480045), and the University Natural Science Research Project of Anhui Province (KJ2013B209).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Anhui Key Laboratory of Controllable Chemistry Reaction & Material Chemical Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, Anhui, People’s Republic of China

    Xiang Ying Chen, Yuan Yuan He & Hong Song

  2. College of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Environment-friendly Polymer Materials, Anhui University, Hefei, 230039, Anhui, People’s Republic of China

    Zhong Jie Zhang

Authors
  1. Xiang Ying Chen
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  2. Yuan Yuan He
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  3. Hong Song
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  4. Zhong Jie Zhang
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Correspondence to Xiang Ying Chen or Zhong Jie Zhang.

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Chen, X.Y., He, Y.Y., Song, H. et al. A multi-template carbonization approach to hierarchically nanoporous carbon for high-performance supercapacitors. J Solid State Electrochem 19, 179–186 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-014-2593-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-014-2593-x

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