Air‐Pyrolysis Precision Synthesis of Functional Porous Carbon Materials

• Published in: Advanced functional materials 2025-02, Vol.35 (6), p.n/a
• Main Authors: Ding, Rong, Zhou, Yu‐Pu, Zhang, Yu‐Chuan, Chen, Hao, Zeng, Fu‐Rong, Wang, Yu‐Tao, Liu, Bo‐Wen, Wang, Yu‐Zhong, Zhao, Hai‐Bo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: air atmosphere; Carbon; controllable morphology; Graphene; High temperature; Inert atmospheres; Microwave absorption; microwave adsorption; Morphology; Oxidation; Pore formation; porous carbon; Porous materials; Production costs; Pyrolysis; Resource utilization; Synthesis
• ISSN: 1616-301X; 1616-3028
• DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202415006

Carbon materials play a pivo tal role across various advanced applications, yet their synthesis traditionally necessitates inert atmospheres to avert oxidation at high temperatures, thus inflating production costs and resource utilization. Achieving precision synthesis of functional porous carbon materials via air‐pyrolysis remains a formidable challenge. Herein, a streamlined, one‐step lava‐like carbonization approach is introduced enabling the fabrication of porous carbons boasting tailored morphologies (0‐3D), elevated specific surface areas (540.7–1047.6 m2g⁻¹), heteroatom doping, and commendable carbon yields (20‐39.1%) through direct pyrolysis within an air environment. Leveraging recyclable boric acid as a reaction medium, a lava‐like flowing protective barrier above 170 °C is engendered that spontaneously creates an oxygen‐free‐like milieu devoid of high pressure or intricate procedures. This boron‐containing lava serves dually as a template and chemical activator, facilitating pore formation and catalyzing porous carbon production. Notably, the method accommodates a spectrum of carbon sources, encompassing sugars, proteins, graphene oxide, and their metal mixtures. The resultant morphologically customizable carbons exhibit excellent performance in areas as diverse as microwave absorption and electrocatalysis. This work pioneers a novel pathway for large‐scale precision synthesis of high‐quality carbon materials via air‐pyrolysis under mild conditions. A versatile, efficient, and eco‐friendly one‐step carbonization method in an air atmosphere, resembling a lava‐like process, enables the precise preparation of morphologically controlled porous carbon materials. This approach achieves commendable carbon yields (20–39.1%) with high‐quality porous carbons, featuring elevated specific surface areas, heteroatom doping, diverse pore structures, and customizable morphologies (0–3D) across a broad temperature range (300–1100 °C), all in an air environment.