Three-Dimensional Hierarchical Porous Carbon with High Oxygen Content Derived from Organic Waste Liquid with Superior Electric Double Layer Performance

• Published in: ACS sustainable chemistry & engineering 2019-02, Vol.7 (4), p.4037-4046
• Main Authors: Hao, Zhi-Qiang, Cao, Jing-Pei, Dang, Ya-Li, Wu, Yan, Zhao, Xiao-Yan, Wei, Xian-Yong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 2168-0485; 2168-0485
• DOI: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.8b05423

The organic waste liquid produced in the production of vitamin C is an acidic pollutant which is difficult for effective treatment and utilization, and lignin is an abundant biopolymer with abundant oxygen-containing groups. In this study, organic waste liquid and lignin are used as precursors for preparing oxygen-rich hierarchical porous carbon with a three-dimensional structure by synergistic reaction and activation. The obtained hierarchical porous carbons have a high specific surface area (3111.6 m2 g–1) and high oxygen content (13.8 wt %). As the electrode material for an electric double layer capacitor, hierarchical porous carbon exhibits high specific capacitances (428 F g–1 at 0.04 A g–1) and excellent capacitance retention of 96% after 12 000 cycles under a two-electrode system. Meanwhile, its energy density is up to 12 Wh kg–1. The excellent electrochemical performance can be attributable to the rational pore structure and rich oxygen functional groups of hierarchical porous carbon, so it is a promising carbon-based electrode material for electric double layer capacitor. Thereby, this paper provides a practical and green strategy for the large-scale production of porous carbon and the value-added utilization of organic waste liquid and lignin.