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Biomass‐Derived Heteroatom‐Doped Carbon Aerogels from a Salt Melt Sol–Gel Synthesis and their Performance in Li–S Batteries
Author(s) -
Schipper Florian,
Vizintin Alen,
Ren Jiawen,
Dominko Robert,
Fellinger TimPatrick
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
chemsuschem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.412
H-Index - 157
eISSN - 1864-564X
pISSN - 1864-5631
DOI - 10.1002/cssc.201500832
Subject(s) - heteroatom , carbon fibers , biomass (ecology) , salt (chemistry) , doping , materials science , chemical engineering , molten salt , sol gel , inorganic chemistry , chemistry , nanotechnology , organic chemistry , geology , composite material , composite number , engineering , ring (chemistry) , oceanography , optoelectronics
An ionothermal sol–gel strategy to synthesize hierarchically porous carbon aerogels doped with different heteroatoms is presented by using biomass precursors in a scalable process. Morphologically similar but chemically different materials are used to study the influence of heteroatoms in Li–S batteries. The materials show capacities as high as 1290 mAh g −1 in the first cycle using 50 wt % S loading. Heteroatom doping reduces the capacity fading and the polarization throughout cycling. Zeta potential measurements reveal positive surface charges for heteroatom‐doped carbons and indicate attractive interactions with polysulfides causing reduced fading. A polysulfide‐selective sorption study reveals strongly different adsorption behavior depending on the carbon’s chemical composition. Interestingly, the polysulfide fraction is also crucial. The results indicate that improved adsorption of long‐chain polysulfides to doped carbons is related to improved capacity retention.