Single-Step Synthesis of N-Doped Three-Dimensional Graphitic Foams for High-Performance Supercapacitors

Abstract

We present a facile yet efficient single-step pyrolysis method to prepare bulk-scale high-performance N-doped 3D-graphitic foams with various length-scale pores. The iron precursors act as catalysts for the conversion of organic substances to a graphitic structure while simultaneously providing a rigid template that prevents the aggregation of organic components, and soluble polymers act as a carbon source for the formation of N-doped multilayer graphene under high-temperature and inert conditions. The 3D-graphitic foams possess highly interconnected networks composed of micro-, meso-, and macropores with a specific surface area of up to 1509 m2 g-1 and a high conductivity of 10 S m-1. The resulting 3D-graphitic foams exhibited specific capacitance values of 330 and 242 F g-1 with outstanding cycling stability (a 23% loss after 100 000 cycles for a symmetric cell) in a three-electrode system and in a symmetric cell, respectively, when used as active materials in a supercapacitor. This study suggests the great potential of bulk-scale fabricated N-doped 3D-graphitic foams with a large surface area and excellent conductivity, as well as controlled porosity, for applications in various fields.