Synthesis and electrochemical performance of porous carbon by carbonizing PF/PMMA interpenetrating polymer networks

A surface-engineering-assisted method to synthesize recycled silicon-based anodes with a uniform carbon shell-protective layer for lithium-ion batteries

Yolk-shell silicon/carbon composite encapsulated by uniform carbon shell (Si@C) are becoming an effective method to mitigate volume-related issues of Si-based anodes and maintain an excellent performance for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, a uniform carbon shell in Si@C is difficult to guarantee. Herein, a facile surface-engineering-assisted strategy is described to prepare Si@C composite with low-cost modified recycled waste silicon powders (RWSi) as core coated by a uniform carbon shell-protective layer derived from the pyrolysis of poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) as carbon source (m-RWSi@PMMA-C). In this process, surface-engineering is performed with silane coupling agent kh550 to functionalize the RWSi particles via a silanization reaction, guaranteeing a uniform PMMA coating which will be transformed into carbon shell-protective layer after carbonization. The m-RWSi@PMMA-C electrode delivers an optimal discharge capacity of 1083 mAhg^-1 at 200 mAg^-1 after 200 cycles with an initial capacity of 3176.2 mAhg^-1 and a high initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE) of 75.6%. Based on these results, the recycled silicon-based anode with a uniform carbon shell-protective layer displays great application potential and it also brings a new perspective on silicon-based anodes via surface-engineering method for LIBs.

Modification of ultra-micropore dominated carbon by O/N-containing functional groups grafted for enhanced supercapacitor performances

In our study, a simple method was employed to prepare ultra-micropore-dominated carbon materials with controllable pore size. A mass of heteroatoms was introduced by surface functional group grafting, resulting in enhanced electrochemical performance: the maximum specific capacity of 327.5 F g-1 was obtained at 0.5 A g-1 in 6 M KOH, while that of un-grafted original ultra-microporous carbon was only 188 F g-1, with long-term cycle stability (90.5% of the initial after 10 000 cycles), and excellent rate performance (over 82% at the current density from 0.5 A g-1 to 10 A g-1). The mechanism behind the improved performance was due to the presence of the introduced functional groups that improved the surface wettability of the material and provided additional redox active sites. Their synergistic effects promoted the enhanced electrochemical performance of the ultra-microporous carbon. This study provides a basis for the study of the energy storage mechanism of ultra-microporous carbon and the grafted modification of carbon materials with heteroatom-containing functional groups.

Nitrogen-doped micro-nano carbon spheres with multi-scale pore structure obtained from interpenetrating polymer networks for electrochemical capacitors

A chemical process was developed to prepare N-doped micro-nano carbon spheres with multi-scale pore structures via carbonization of N-PF/PMMA interpenetrating polymer networks, which contain melamine resin as the nitrogen source, PF as the carbon source, and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) as the pore-former. The N-content of N-doped micro-nano carbon spheres was controlled by adjusting the mass ratio of melamine and phenol before polymerization. The N-doped micro-nano carbon spheres as electrode materials possess appropriate pore size distribution, higher specific surface area (559 m² g⁻¹) and consistently dispersed nitrogen atoms with adjustable doping content. These distinct characteristics endow the prospective electrode materials with excellent performance in electrochemical capacitors. In particular, N-CS-IPN-4 exhibits the highest specific capacitance of 364 F g⁻¹ at 0.5 A g⁻¹ in 6 M KOH aqueous electrolyte in a three-electrode system. It also possesses superior rate capability (57.7% retention at current densities ranging from 0.5 to 50 A g⁻¹) and excellent cycling performance at 2 A g⁻¹ (100% retention after 10 000 cycles). All these results confirm that the N-doped micro-nano carbon spheres are promising electrochemical capacitor materials, which possesses the advantages of simple preparation procedure, multi-scale pore structures, higher specific surface areas, easy adjustment of N-content and excellent electrochemical properties.

The N-doped micro-nano carbon spheres with multi-scale pore structures was prepared via carbonization of N-PF/PMMA interpenetrating polymer networks, which contain melamine resin as nitrogen source, PF as carbon source, and PMMA as pore-former.

Synthesis of a hierarchical nanoporous carbon material with controllable pore size and effective surface area for high-performance electrochemical capacitors

There is an excellent linear relationship between E-SSA and specific capacitance of HNC-IPNs as electrode materials for EDLCs.