Hydrogel-Based Synthesis from Sustainable Biopolymers of Nitrogen-Doped Mesoporous Carbons with High Capacitive Performance

摘要

Because of their distinctive properties N-doped porous carbons are attractive candidates for several practical applications, including energy conversion and storage, heterogeneous catalysis, CO2 and H2S capture, and water purification [1]. To provide more environmentally friendly and cost-effective synthesis the naturally occurring renewable nitrogen-bearing biopolymers are increasingly frequently being used as N/C precursors. In this contribution, we present a hydrogel-based strategy, employing chitosan and gelatin biopolymers as C/N precursors and colloidal silica as a template, for obtaining N-rich mesoporous carbons of large pore volume. The unique ability of both biopolymers to form complexes with a variety of metal ions is discussed in the context of providing a uniform distribution of metal/metal oxide nanoclusters, graphitization catalysts, and chemical activators.