NANOPOROUS CARBONS DERIVED FROM BINARY CARBIDES AND THEIR OPTIMIZATION FOR HYDROGEN STORAGE

摘要

This work provides experimental evidence that a subnanometer pore size is needed for achieving a higher hydrogen storage capacity. It shows that a large volume of small open pores with a narrow PSD is the key for high hydrogen uptake. It has paved a way to designing porous carbons by optimizing subnanometer pores. Further research in this direction is expected to increase the hydrogen uptake well above 3 wt.% at 77 K and 1 arm reported here. Nano-sized pores are not only important for H_2 storage, but also for other gas storage like methane, chlorine, etc. Subnanometer pores in CDC electrodes in supercapacitor have led to an anomalous increase in capacitance. In addition to providing new insights, this work has demonstrated a novel approach to manufacturing low-cost, high SSA nanoporous carbons with a tunable pore size. These remarkable and unique properties of CDCs may find numerous potential applications in gas storage, molecular sieves, catalysts, absorbents, battery electrodes, supercapacitors, water/air filters and medical devices.