Mechanochemical assisted synthesis of heteroatoms inherited highly porous carbon from biomass for electrochemical capacitor and oxygen reduction reaction electrocatalysis

It is highly essential to produce cost-effective and efficient multifunctional porous carbon materials for sustainable energy technologies. Here, we report a facile approach to synthesis biomass derived porous carbon having inherited heteroatoms by mechanochemical method and post pyrolyzing treatment. The optimized porous carbon exhibits superior oxygen reduction reaction performances in an alkaline electrolyte with a half-wave potential of 0.76 V (vs. reversible hydrogen electrode) with a small kinetic current density of 35.5 mV dec(-1) and outsanding stability with great tolerance against methanol poisoning. It also shows the multifunctional capability of electrochemical energy storage as super-capacitor electrode material (coin cell), showing high gravimetric capacitance of 273 F g(-1) in the aqueous electrolyte with superior cycling stability. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.