Here, we present a simple one-step fabrication methodology for nitrogen-doped (N-doped) nanoporous carbon membranes via annealing cellulose filter paper under NH3. We found that nitrogen doping (up to 10.3 at %) occurs during cellulose pyrolysis under NH3 at as low as 550 °C. At 700 °C or above, N-doped carbon further reacts with NH3, resulting in a large surface area (up to 1973.3 m(2)/g). We discovered that the doped nitrogen, in fact, plays an important role in the reaction, leading to carbon gasification. CH4 was experimentally detected by mass spectrometry as a product in the reaction between N-doped carbon and NH3. When compared to conventional activated carbon (1533.6 m(2)/g), the N-doped nanoporous carbon (1326.5 m(2)/g) exhibits more than double the unit area capacitance (90 vs 41 mF/m(2)).
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.