A Strategy to Optimize the Performance of Bio-Derived Carbon Aerogels by a Structuring Additive

Abstract

In this work, we investigated the influence of gum arabic (GA) as a structuring additive, on the electrochemical behavior of bio-derived carbon aerogels (CAGs). Modified carbonaceous materials were prepared by the gelatinization process of potato starch (PS) with the addition of GA in various quantities, followed by the thermal treatment of the obtained gels in an inert gas atmosphere. The obtained anode materials were examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD), elemental analysis (EA), galvanostatic charge/discharge tests (GCDT), extensive cycling (LT-GCDT) and cyclic voltammetry (CV) methods. The highest electrochemical performance was achieved for carbon aerogel material, in which 1% w/w GA was added. The results showed that the proper composition of carbon precursor with a structuring promoter improves the rheological properties of starch gel and stabilizes the final aerogel structure affecting CAG functional properties.

Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Aerogels Derived from Starch Biomass with Improved Electrochemical Properties for Li-Ion Batteries

“…For all CAG cells, low values of initial Coulombic efficiency (CE) are observed. This capacity loss is typical for starch-based carbon aerogel materials [17][18][19][20][21] and can be attributed to the side reactions, such as SEI film formation at the electrode-electrolyte interface or the irreversible reaction of Li + with residual oxygenated functional groups at these carbon surfaces. However, with the increase of nitrogen in the investigated samples, a The nitrogen-doped carbon aerogel materials, as well as the pristine ones (CAGPS), were subjected to galvanostatic charge-discharge tests in a half-cell system.…”

“…For all CAG cells, low values of initial Coulombic efficiency (CE) are observed. This capacity loss is typical for starch-based carbon aerogel materials [ 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 ] and can be attributed to the side reactions, such as SEI film formation at the electrode–electrolyte interface or the irreversible reaction of Li + with residual oxygenated functional groups at these carbon surfaces. However, with the increase of nitrogen in the investigated samples, a slight growth of the initial CE (connected with smaller irreversibility of lithium-ion consumption) can be noticed—from 43.95% for CAGPS to 45.52%, 48.40%, 50.17%, and 56.43% for MCAGPS-N0.3%, CAGPS-N1.2%, MCAGPS-N2.3%, and MCAGPS-N8.0%, respectively.…”

“…All these aspects must be considered to fully explain the improvement of N-doped aerogel materials. Most suitable for high-capacity lithium storage (also confirmed by earlier research [49,50]) is pyridinic carbon, which is responsible for the enhancement of Li storage and more helpful for increasing reversible capacity than other types of N-dopants (like N-5, NQ) [45,51] To obtain carbon aerogel (CAGPS sample) and nitrogen-doped carbon materials (MCAGPS-N and CAGPS-N samples), proper compositions of polymeric carbohydrate (potato starch, Sigma-Aldrich, Saint Louis, MO, USA) were, in short, processed by gelatinization route followed by the pyrolysis of organic precursors under an ambient atmosphere (Ar for CAGPS and MCAGPS-N samples and N 2 for CAGPS-N sample) at 700 • C, according to the method reported in our previous studies [17][18][19][20][21]. Importantly, and applicable to MCAGPS-N samples, is the fact that the main precursor of carbon materials-potato starch, was modified with the addition of varied melamine (Acros Organics, Belgium, 99%) concentrations (1%, 5%, and 20 wt.…”

“…To obtain carbon aerogel (CAGPS sample) and nitrogen-doped carbon materials (MCAGPS-N and CAGPS-N samples), proper compositions of polymeric carbohydrate (potato starch, Sigma-Aldrich, Saint Louis, MO, USA) were, in short, processed by gelatinization route followed by the pyrolysis of organic precursors under an ambient atmosphere (Ar for CAGPS and MCAGPS-N samples and N 2 for CAGPS-N sample) at 700 °C, according to the method reported in our previous studies [ 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 ]. Importantly, and applicable to MCAGPS-N samples, is the fact that the main precursor of carbon materials–potato starch, was modified with the addition of varied melamine (Acros Organics, Belgium, 99%) concentrations (1%, 5%, and 20 wt.…”

“…It is also worth noticing that carbon aerogels derived from the starch precursor are obtained through ecofriendly (water-based) and facile synthesis (not demanding high-pressure, complex, multistep treatment or very high temperatures during the carbonization process) [ 17 ]. Furthermore, the properties of CAG materials can also be easily customized by applying appropriate chemical modifications [ 21 ]. Nevertheless, recently, more and more reports on the subject of carbonaceous materials functionalization relate to actions that are connected with introducing various types of functional groups into the structure and/or onto the surface of carbon materials that significantly change their chemical nature [ 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 ].…”