Abstract
Nitrogen-doped porous activated carbons have been fabricated through a simple and efficient carbonization method at 700 °C with the waste tea-leaves as carbon precursor and ZnCl2 as activating agent. The average pore size and specific surface area are in the ranges of 2.3–6.6 nm and 10.3 ~ 1143.9 m2 g−1, with the ZnCl2 to tea-leaves weight ratio from 0 to 3. As an electrode material for supercapacitors, the TPACs-2 (the ZnCl2 to tea-leaves weight ratio is 2) which has 3.0 wt% nitrogen content, possesses a large specific capacitance of 296 F g−1 at 0.5 A g−1 and excellent rate capability (74 % retention at 10 A g−1) in 2 mol L−1 KOH. Furthermore, the symmetric supercapacitor fabricated with TPACs-2 electrodes delivers a high energy density of 13.5 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 221 W kg−1 and superior cycle stability (only 9 % loss after 5000 cycles), operating in the wide voltage range of 0–1.8 V in 0.5 mol L−1 Na2SO4 aqueous electrolyte. The results demonstrate TPACs-2 is a promising candidate for the electrode material of supercapacitors.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Chu S, Majumdar A (2012) Opportunities and challenges for a sustainable energy future. Nature 488:294–303
Merlet C, Péan C, Rotenberg B, Madden PA, Daffos B, Taberna P-L, Simon P, Salanne M (2013) Highly confined ions store charge more efficiently in supercapacitors. Nat Commun. doi:10.1038/ncomms3701
Zhang SL, Pan N (2015) Supercapacitors performance evaluation. Adv Energy Mater 5:1–19
Su DS, Schlogl R (2010) Nanostructured carbon and carbon nanocomposites for electrochemical energy storage applications. ChemSusChem 3:136–168
Zhong C, Deng YD, Wab H, JL Q, Zhang L, JJ Z (2015) A review of electrolyte materials and compositions for electrochemical supercapacitors. Chem Soc Rev 44:7484–7539
Yan J, Wang Q, Wei T, Fan ZJ (2014) Recent advances in design and fabrication of electrochemical supercapacitors with high energy densities. Adv Energy Mater 4:1–43
GP W, Zhang L, JJ Z (2012) A review of electrode materials for electrochemical supercapacitors. Chem Soc Rev 41:797–828
Chen Z, Yuan Y, HH Z, XL W, ZH G, FS W, YF L (2014) 3D nanocomposite architectures from carbon-nanotube-threaded nanocrystals for high-performance electrochemical energy storage. Adv Mater 26:339–345
Bae J, Song MK, Park YJ, Kim JM, Liu ML, Wang ZL (2011) Fiber supercapacitors made of nanowire-fiber hybrid structures for wearable/flexible energy storage. Angew Chem Int Ed 50:1683–1687
Yun Y, Cho S, Shim J, Kim B, Chang S, Baek SJ, Huh YS, Tak YS, Park YW, Park S, Jin HJ (2013) Microporous carbon nanoplates from regenerated silk proteins for supercapacitors. Adv Mater 25:1993–1998
Zhang L, Zhao X (2009) Carbon-based materials as supercapacitor electrodes. Chem Soc Rev 38:2520–2531
Wang YQ, Yuan AB, Wang XL (2008) Pseudocapacitive behaviors of nanostructured manganese dioxide/carbon nanotubes composite electrodes in mild aqueous electrolytes: effects of electrolytes and current collectors. J Solid State Electrochem 12:1101–1107
Huang HS, Chang KH, Suzuki N, Yamauchi Y, Hu CC, Wu KCW (2013) Evaporation-induced coating of hydrous ruthenium oxide on mesoporous silica nanoparticles to develop high-performance supercapacitors. Small 9:2520–2526
Bastakoti BP, Kamachi Y, Huang HS, Chen LC, Wu KCW, Yamauchi Y (2013) Hydrothermal synthesis of binary Ni–Co hydroxides and carbonate hydroxides as pseudosupercapacitors. Eur J Inorg Chem 2013:39–43
Wang B, Park J, Su DW, Wang CY, Ahn H, Wang GX (2012) Solvothermal synthesis of CoS2–graphene nanocomposite material for high-performance supercapacitors. J Mater Chem 22:15750–15756
Rosario-Canales MR, Deria P, Therien MJ, Santiago-Aviles JJ (2012) Composite electronic materials based on poly(3,4-propylenedioxythiophene) and highly charged poly(aryleneethynylene)-wrapped carbon nanotubes for supercapacitors. ACS Appl Mater Interface 4:102–109
Augustyn V, Simon P, Dunn B (2014) Pseudocapacitive oxide materials for high-rate electrochemical energy storage. Energy Environ Sci 7:1597–1614
Kierzek K, Frackowiak E, Lota G, Gryglewicz G, Machnikowski J (2004) Electrochemical capacitors based on highly porous carbons prepared by KOH activation. Electrochim Acta 49:515–523
Chaikittisicp W, Hu M, Wang HJ, Huang HS, Fujita T, Wu KCW, Chen LC, Yamauchi Y, Ariga K (2012) Nanoporous carbons through direct carbonization of a zeolitic imidazolate framework for supercapacitor electrodes. Chem Commun 48:7259–7261
Bastakoti BP, Oveisi H, Hu CC, Wu KCW, Suzuki N, Takai K, Kamachi Y, Imura M, Yamauchi Y (2013) Mesoporous carbon incorporated with In2O3 nanoparticles as high-performance supercapacitors. Eur J Inorg Chem 2013:1109–1112
Zhang H, Cao GP, Wang ZY, Yang YS, Shi ZJ, Gu ZN (2008) Growth of manganese oxide nanoflowers on vertically-aligned carbon nanotube arrays for high-rate electrochemical capacitive energy storage. Nano Lett 8:2664–2668
Salunkhe RR, Hsu SH, Wu KCW, Yamauchi Y (2014) Large-scale synthesis of reduced graphene oxides with uniformly coated polyaniline for supercapacitor applications. ChemSusChem 7:1551–1556
Titirici MM, White RJ, Falco C, Sevilla M (2012) Black perspectives for a green future: hydrothermal carbons for environment protection and energy storage. Energy Environ Sci 5:6796–6822
Wang JC, Kaskel S (2012) KOH activation of carbon-based materials for energy storage. J Mater Chem 22:23710–23725
Wang RT, Wang PY, Yan XB, Lang JW, Peng C, Xue QJ (2012) Promising porous carbon derived from celtuce leaves with outstanding supercapacitance and CO2 capture performance. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 4:5800–5806
Biswal M, Banerjee A, Deo M, Ogale S (2013) From dead leaves to high energy density supercapacitors. Energy Environ Sci 6:1249–1259
Balathanigaimani MS, Shim WG, Lee MJ, Kim C, Lee JW, Moon H (2008) Highly porous electrodes from novel corn grains-based activated carbons for electrical double layer capacitors. Electrochem Commun 10:868–871
Li X, Xing W, Zhuo SP, Zhou J, Li F, Qiao SZ, Lu GQ (2011) Preparation of capacitor’s electrode from sunflower seed shell. Bioresour Technol 102:1118–1123
Chen CN, Liang CM, Lai JR, Tsai YJ, Tsay JS, Lin JK (2003) Capillary electrophoretic determination of theanine, caffeine, and catechins in fresh tea leaves and oolong tea and their effects on rat neurosphere adhesion and migration. J Agric Food Chem 51:7495–7503
Madrakian T, Afkhami A, Ahmadi M (2012) Adsorption and kinetic studies of seven different organic dyes onto magnetite nanoparticles loaded tea waste and removal of them from wastewater samples. Spectrochim Acta A 99:102–109
Paraknowitsch JP, Thomas A (2013) Doping carbons beyond nitrogen: an overview of advanced heteroatom doped carbons with boron, sulphur and phosphorus for energy applications. Energy Environ Sci 6:2839–2855
Peng H, Ma GF, Sun KJ, JJ M, Lei ZQ (2014) Formation of carbon nanosheets via simultaneous activation and catalytic carbonization of macroporous anion-exchange resin for supercapacitors application. ACS Appl Mater Interface 6:20795–20803
Jin YZ, Gao C, Hsu WK, Zhu YQ, Huczko A, Bystrzejewski M, Roe M, Lee CY, Acquah S, Kroto H, Walton DRM (2005) Large-scale synthesis and characterization of carbon spheres prepared by direct pyrolysis of hydrocarbons. Carbon 43:1944–1953
Dresselhaus MS, Jorio A, Hofmann M, Dresselhaus G, Saito R (2010) Perspectives on carbon nanotubes and graphene Raman spectroscopy. Nano Lett 10:751–758
Wang Y, Zhang L, Wang H, Wang J, Yu W, Peng B, Yang Z, Chai L (2014) Sustainable synthesis of penicillium-derived highly conductive carbon film as superior binder-free electrode of lithium ion batteries. J Solid State Electrochem 18:3209–3214
Peng H, Ma GF, Sun KJ, Mu JJ, Lei ZQ (2014) One-step preparation of ultrathin nitrogen-doped carbon nanosheets with ultrahigh pore volume for high-performance supercapacitors. J Mater Chem A 2:17297–17301
He ZW, Lü QF, Lin QL (2013) Fabrication, characterization and application of nitrogen-containing carbon nanospheres obtained by pyrolysis of lignosulfonate/poly(2-ethylaniline). Bioresour Technol 127:66–71
Hulicova-Jurcakova D, Seredych M, Lu GQ, Bandosz TJ (2009) Combined effect of nitrogen- and oxygen-containing functional groups of microporous activated carbon on its electrochemical performance in supercapacitors. Adv Funct Mater 19:438–447
Usachov D, Vilkov O, Gruneis A, Haberer D, Fedorov A, Adamchuk VK, Preobrajenski AB, Dudin P, Barinov A, Oehzelt M, Laubschat C, Vyalikh DV (2011) Nitrogen-doped graphene: efficient growth, structure, and electronic properties. Nano Lett 11:5401–5407
Wang SP, Zhang JN, Shang P, Li YY, Chen ZM, Xu Q (2014) N-doped carbon spheres with hierarchical micropore-nanosheet networks for high performance supercapacitors. Chem Commun 50:12091–12094
Hao L, Li XL, Zhi LJ (2013) Carbonaceous electrode materials for supercapacitors. Adv Mater 25:3899–3904
Burton Z, Bhushan B (2005) Hydrophobicity, adhesion, and friction properties of nanopatterned polymers and scale dependence for micro- and nanoelectromechanical systems. Nano Lett 5:1607–1613
Tan YM, Xu CF, Chen GX, Liu ZH, Ma M, Xie QJ, Zheng NF, Yao SZ (2013) Synthesis of ultrathin nitrogen-doped graphitic carbon nanocages as advanced electrode materials for supercapacitor. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 5:2241–2248
Fan W, Xia YY, Tjiu WW, Pallathadka PK, He CB, Liu TX (2013) Nitrogen-doped graphene hollow nanospheres as novel electrode materials for supercapacitor applications. J Power Sources 24:973–981
Portet C, Yushin G, Gogotsi Y (2007) Electrochemical performance of carbon onions, nanodiamonds, carbon black and multiwalled nanotubes in electrical double layer capacitors. Carbon 45:2511–2518
Hulicova-Jurcakova D, Kodama M, Shiraishi S, Hatori H, Zhu ZH, Lu GQ (2009) Nitrogen-enriched nonporous carbon electrodes with extraordinary supercapacitance. Adv Funct Mater 19:1800–1809
Wang Q, Yan J, Wang YB, Wei T, Zhang ML, Jing XY, Fan ZJ (2014) Three-dimensional flower-like and hierarchical porous carbon materials as high-rate performance electrodes for supercapacitors. Carbon 67:119–127
Demarconnay L, Raymundo-Pinero E, Béguin F (2010) A symmetric carbon/carbon supercapacitor operating at 1.6 V by using a neutral aqueous solution. Electrochem Commun 12:1275–1278
Hu CC, Chu CH (2001) Electrochemical impedance characterization of polyaniline-coated graphite electrodes for electrochemical capacitors—effects of film coverage/thickness and anions. J Electroanal Chem 503:105–116
Chang J, Jin MH, Yao F, Kim TH, Le VT, Yue HY, Gunes F, Li B, Ghosh A, Xie SS, Lee YH (2013) Asymmetric supercapacitors based on graphene/MnO2 nanospheres and graphene/MoO3 nanosheets with high energy density. Adv Funct Mater 23:5074–5083
Acknowledgments
This research was financially supported by the National Science Foundation of China (51462032), the program for Changjiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in University (IRT15R56), the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2013 M540778), Key Laboratory of Eco-Environment-Related Polymer Materials (Northwest Normal University) of Ministry of Education, and Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials of Gansu Province.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding authors
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ma, G., Li, J., Sun, K. et al. Tea-leaves based nitrogen-doped porous carbons for high-performance supercapacitors electrode. J Solid State Electrochem 21, 525–535 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-016-3389-y
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-016-3389-y