Direct Laser Writing-Assisted Method for Template-Free Fabrication of Biomass-Based Porous Carbon Platelets with Uniform Size and Arbitrarily Designed Shapes

Abstract

Because of a wide range of applications of porous carbon platelets (PCPs), a robust method for their facile synthesis/fabrication with controlled porous structure, size, and shape is constantly needed. Herein, we report a simple and scalable method for producing PCPs with uniform size and arbitrarily designed shapes. This approach relies on CO 2 laser irradiation to induce carbonization of a biomass composite sheet formed by the infusion of sodium lignosulfonate into a cellulose paper to create porous carbon features with arbitrarily designed shapes. Upon subsequent water immersion treatment, the laser-written carbon features could spontaneously detach to form freestanding PCPs. The PCPs of different shapes were fabricated, characterized, and demonstrated for their potential applications in dye adsorption, as flexible sensors, and as miniaturized supercapacitors. Our method is expected to make great impacts in multiple fields, such as environment, energy storage, sensing, catalysis, and so forth.

Fabricating Graphene and Nanodiamonds from Lignin by Femtosecond Laser Irradiation

“…Currently, various pattern structures have been tailored from lignin composites by direct laser writing, and they were investigated for the applications of supercapacitors, sensors, and power generators. 24 , 25 , 32 It is impressive that we have fabricated circuit patterns from nanolignin/cellulose nanofibril composites, showing promising applications as flexible electrics and sensors. 16 Since the patterns in this study contained graphene and ND microstructures and showed varying degrees of resistances in the following discussion, it was reasonable that these patterns can be applied for fabricating electric devices.…”

“…Meanwhile, some lignin-based composites have also been reported to be converted into porous graphene for solid-state supercapacitors. 23 − 25 Niu et al reported the conversion of sodium lignosulfonate to carbon composite with a few graphite and mostly disordered and amorphous structure using a CO 2 laser. 26 However, the laser-induced carbonization of pure lignin still needs more studies, and it is also challenging to convert the lignin into graphene and NDs.…”

3D printing of carbon-based materials: A review

“…More recently, Luo et al [36] reported on a direct laser writing-assisted method for producing porous carbon platelets (PCP) with tailored shape and porous structure. Electrically conductive carbon patterns were formed by CO 2 laser irradiation of a carbonizable substrate made of cellulose paper and sodium lignosulfonate.…”

“…increasing the carbon content of printing or printed materials [35], and difficulties in directly achieving a high-carbon content structure [36,37]. As carbon can be considered alone or in the presence of a binder, which is completely different as shown below, it is then necessary to take into account the great diversity of carbonaceous materials in order to better reflect the strong potential of their 3D printing, but also to take into account the diversity of 3D-printing processes.…”

Femtosecond Laser-Induced Graphitization of Transparent Cellulose Nanofiber Films

“…Chyan et al fabricated microsupercapacitor directly on the surface of a coconut by patterning electrically conductive graphitic carbon using a CO 2 laser . In addition to these examples, many electronic applications have been demonstrated using graphitic carbon fabricated from various materials as the precursor, for instance, force sensors using paper, pressure sensors using cellulose, and carbon platelets using lignosulfonate and cellulose …”