Constructing Hierarchical Porous Carbon of High‐Performance Capacitance through a Two‐Step Nitrogen‐Fixation Method

Highly conductive and nitrogen‐rich carbon materials have broad application prospects in energy storage, yet they are somehow contradictory because good conductivity requires high‐temperature heat treatment, which decomposes most nitrogen species. Herein, a novel approach to synthesize a nitrogen‐rich and highly conductive carbon material with extraordinary capacitance through a two‐step nitrogen‐fixation sol–gel method is reported. The process benefits from the coordination of Zn 2+ with nitrogen atoms in the precursor sol and the stabilizing bonding between silicon and nitrogen during high‐temperature chemical vapor deposition. The final product shows a high nitrogen content of 5.6 at%, a hierarchical porous structure with a high specific surface area (1610 m 2 g −1 ), and an extraordinary conductivity (23 S cm −1 ), which enables an impressive capacitance of 380 F g −1 . This nitrogen‐fixing method starting with a composite sol–gel may offer a reliable route to the preparation of high‐performance supercapacitor electrode materials.