Boron-Induced Nitrogen Fixation in 3D Carbon Materials for Supercapacitors

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Catalysis

Background:

• Nitrogen-rich carbon materials offer excellent performance in energy storage and electrocatalysis.
• High-temperature treatment, essential for conductivity, often degrades nitrogen content.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a method for creating nitrogen-rich carbon materials with both high conductivity and nitrogen content.
• To stabilize nitrogen species within a 3D carbon framework at elevated temperatures.

Main Methods:

• A facile method introducing boron (B) into a 3D carbon material.
• High-temperature treatment up to 1000 °C.
• Density Functional Theory (DFT) for mechanistic investigation.

Main Results:

• Boron selectively stabilizes pyrrolic nitrogen, preventing decomposition at 1000 °C.
• Achieved high conductivity (30 S cm⁻¹) and nitrogen content (7.80 atom %).
• Demonstrated outstanding capacitance (412 F g⁻¹) and excellent rate capability.

Conclusions:

• Boron incorporation is an effective strategy to overcome the conductivity-nitrogen content trade-off in carbon materials.
• The resulting boron-stabilized nitrogen-rich carbon material shows significant potential for energy storage and electrocatalysis.