One-Pot Synthesis of Nitrogen-Doped Porous Carbon Derived from the Siraitia grosvenorii Peel for Rechargeable Zinc–Air Batteries

Appropriate regulations on the composition and structure of carbon materials derived from biomasses are requisite to enhance their electrochemical performance. However, a simple and green way to achieve both nitrogen doping and optimization of the pore structure has rarely been reported. Herein, by the “one-pot” method, we have successfully prepared nitrogen-doped porous carbon using the Siraitia grosvenorii peel as a precursor. This method simultaneously realizes in situ N doping and optimizes the proportion of micropores and mesopores. N-SGPC-900 °C exhibits excellent oxygen reduction reaction and oxygen evolution reaction performances, which can be ascribed to its abundant active sites and mass transfer rates. Density functional theory results demonstrate that the pyridinic N active sites are mainly responsible for the improvement of electrocatalytic properties. Furthermore, the rechargeable zinc–air battery based on N-SGPC-900 °C represents outstanding charge–discharge performance. This work brings forward feasible countermeasures for the preparation and regulation of biomass-derived carbon materials as dual-function electrocatalysts.