title: A top-down approach for fabricating free-standing bio-carbon supercapacitor electrodes with a hierarchical structure.
abstract: Biomass has delicate hierarchical structures, which inspired us to develop a cost-effective route to prepare electrode materials with rational nanostructures for use in high-performance storage devices. Here, we demonstrate a novel top-down approach for fabricating bio-carbon materials with stable structures and excellent diffusion pathways; this approach is based on carbonization with controlled chemical activation. The developed free-standing bio-carbon electrode exhibits a high specific capacitance of 204 F g(-1) at 1 A g(-1); good rate capability, as indicated by the residual initial capacitance of 85.5% at 10 A g(-1); and a long cycle life. These performance characteristics are attributed to the outstanding hierarchical structures of the electrode material. Appropriate carbonization conditions enable the bio-carbon materials to inherit the inherent hierarchical texture of the original biomass, thereby facilitating effective channels for fast ion transfer. The macropores and mesopores that result from chemical activation significantly increase the specific surface area and also play the role of temporary ion-buffering reservoirs, further shortening the ionic diffusion distance.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yingzhi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Qinghua
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Junxian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D027882:Agave / Q000737:chemistry*; D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry; D025802:Electric Capacitance; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D004563:Electrochemistry; D004566:Electrodes; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D028321:Plant Preparations; D002244:Carbon