Iron and Nitrogen-Doped Wheat Straw Hierarchical Porous Carbon Materials for Supercapacitors

Abstract

In this paper, we prepared a new type of iron and nitrogen co-doped porous carbon material (WSC-Fe/N) using a carbonization–activation process with wheat straw as a precursor and FeCl3 and NH4Cl as co-doping agents and analyzed the electrochemical properties of the resulting electrode material. Through precise control of the doping elements and carbonization temperature (900 °C), the resulting WSC-Fe/N-900 material exhibits abundant micropores, uniform mesopores, a significant specific surface area (2576.6 m2 g−1), an optimal level of iron doping (1.7 wt.%), and excellent graphitization. These characteristics were confirmed through X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. Additionally, the WSC-Fe/N-900 electrode demonstrated a specific capacitance of 400.5 F g−1 at a current density of 0.5 A g−1, maintaining a high capacitance of 308 F g−1 even at 10 A g−1. The solid-state symmetric supercapacitor in an aqueous electrolyte achieved an energy density of 9.2 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 250 W kg−1 and maintained an energy density of 6.5 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 5000 W kg−1, demonstrating remarkable synergistic energy–power output characteristics. In terms of structural properties, the porous characteristics of WSC-Fe/N-900 not only enhance the specific surface area of the electrode but also improve the diffusion capability of electrolyte ions within the electrode, thereby enhancing capacitance performance. The reliability of the electrode material demonstrated good performance in long-term cycling tests, maintaining a capacitance retention rate of 93% after 10,000 charge–discharge cycles, indicating excellent electrochemical stability. Furthermore, over time, the aging effect of the WSC-Fe/N-900 electrode material is minimal, maintaining high electrochemical performance even after prolonged use, suggesting that this material is suitable for long-term energy storage applications. This study introduces a novel strategy for producing porous carbon materials for supercapacitors, advancing the development of economically efficient and environmentally friendly energy storage solutions.

Keywords

• carbonization
• energy storage
• Fe/N co-doped hierarchical porous carbon
• specific capacity
• supercapacitor electrode
• wheat straw