Hierarchical Porous Carbon Aerogels Derived Cellulose with High Surface Area for Electrochemical Energy Storage

The hierarchical porous carbon aerogels derived from celluloses are one of promising electrodes for the next-generation supercapacitors. The direct pyrolysis strategy for synthesizing cellulose carbon aerogels can integrate the advantages of the in-situ activation and heteroatoms doping. In this study, the hierarchical porous carbon aerogels were prepared using different methods (including conventional, KOH activation, and direct pyrolysis). The carbon aerogels that were simultaneously carbonized and activated during direct pyrolysis process, exhibited remarkable properties including high BET surface areas of up to 2764.78   m² g -1 , a substantial pore volume of up to 2.53 cm 3 g -1 , a broad pore distribution encompassing micropores, mesopores and macropores, and an optimal N content. Consequently, these carbon aerogels exhibited a notable specific gravimetric capacitance of 334.5   F   g -1 and exceptional cycling stability with 100% of capacitance retention after 10 000 cycles in the 6   M KOH electrolyte. This direct synthesis route, featuring in-situ activation and doping, rendered cellulose porous carbon aerogels as promising materials for advanced supercapacitor application.