Fabrication of high density and nitrogen-doped porous carbon for high volumetric performance supercapacitors

• One-Step and direct low-temperature pyrolysis synthesis of high density and N-doped porous carbon (DNPC) derived from PANI. • By utilizing the multifunction of phytic acid (PA), reducing the chemical corrosion of KOH and avoiding the restacking of graphene, we realized that the high density (1.59 g cm −3 ) and high pyridinic and pyrrolic nitrogen (80.90%) in porous carbon, which is highly beneficial for improving volumetric performance. • The DNPCs-500 electrode achieves superior volumetric performance (643.7 f cm −3 at 0.5 a g − 1 ) and rate retention performance (71.9% from 0.5 to 20 a g − 1 ). • The PA-inducing and low-temperature pyrolysis could reduce the porosity, regulate the heteroatoms doped, improve the kinetics of the electrode reaction and density, which guarantees the high volumetric performance. Considering the increasing demands in energy storage systems (ESS), the nitrogen doped porous carbons with high volume properties are urgently needed in practical applications. Herein, we develop a new strategy for the fabrication of the high density and nitrogen-doped porous carbons (DNPCs) via low-temperature pyrolysis of phytic acid (PA)-doped polyaniline (PANI) coated on graphene, representing a high volumetric performance as supercapacitor electrode materials. PA is used to form the graphene oxide/polyaniline (GO/PANI) precursor, protect GO from agglomeration, reduce the porosity and regulate the heteroatoms contents of porous carbon. Benefiting from PA-inducing and low-temperature pyrolysis, the DNPC-500 performs a high volumetric capacitance of 643.7 F cm −3 at 0.5 A g − 1 , and outstanding rate performance respectively. In a symmetric supercapacitor, the DNPC-500 device possesses a high volumetric energy density of 14.6 W L − 1 at the power density of 79.8 kW L − 1 . Thus, this result exhibits a novel design of high density and nitrogen doped porous carbon materials for supercapacitors. The high density and N-doped porous carbon was synthesized through low-temperature pyrolysis of the phytic acid-doped polyaniline coated on graphene. Utilizing the multifunction of phytic acid to form GO/PANI precursor, reduce the porosity and regulate heteroatoms contents, thus improving the volumetric performance of porous carbon materials.