Effect of asphalt component distribution characteristics in layered porous carbon on performance of supercapacitors

Petroleum asphalt, characterized by its rich aromatic hydrocarbon structures and high carbonization yield, emerges as an ideal precursor for generating porous carbons intended for supercapacitors (SCs). Despite asphalt's classification into four distinct components, the intricate composition due to its diverse sources still presents an unresolved challenge when it comes to elucidating the predominant structural characteristics underlying porous carbons. In the present investigation, we adopted potassium bicarbonate (KHCO3) as a templating agent, and the potassium-containing compounds were thermally polymerized with carbon-based free radicals to facilitate the synthesis of porous carbon materials through carbonization process. We observed that the fabricated porous carbon with a substantial content of heavy fraction (68.5 wt %) demonstrated the maximal pore volume (1.02 cm3 g−1) and specific surface area (SSA) of 1229 m2 g−1, yielding in the power density of 625 W kg−1 at the energy density of 17.88 W h kg−1 used 1 M tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate in acetonitrile (TEATFB/AN). Notably, we corroborated the reliability of the entire process through a rigorous scaling-up experiment to 10 g, demonstrating entirely consistent performance. Our research introduces a novel avenue for strategically selecting petroleum asphalt precursors, with the overarching objective of producing cost-effective carbon materials endowed with commendable performance attributes.