High-Performance Supercapacitors Using Compact Carbon Hydrogels Derived from Polybenzoxazine

Abstract

Polybenzoxazine (PBz) aerogels hold immense potential, but their conventional production methods raise environmental and safety concerns. This research addresses this gap by proposing an eco-friendly approach for synthesizing high-performance carbon derived from polybenzoxazine. The key innovation lies in using eugenol, ethylene diamine, and formaldehyde to create a polybenzoxazine precursor. This eliminates hazardous solvents by employing the safer dimethyl sulfoxide. An acidic catalyst plays a crucial role, not only in influencing the microstructure but also in strengthening the material’s backbone by promoting inter-chain connections. Notably, this method allows for ambient pressure drying, further enhancing its sustainability. The polybenzoxazine acts as a precursor to produce two different carbon materials. The carbon material produced from the calcination of PBz is denoted as PBZC, and the carbon material produced from the gelation and calcination of PBz is denoted as PBZGC. The structural characterization of these carbon materials was analyzed through different techniques, such as XRD, Raman, XPS, and BET analyses. BET analysis showed increased surface of 843 m2 g−1 for the carbon derived from the gelation method (PBZGC). The electrochemical studies of PBZC and PBZGC imply that a well-defined morphology, along with suitable porosity, paves the way for increased conductivity of the materials when used as electrodes for supercapacitors. This research paves the way for utilizing heteroatom-doped, polybenzoxazine aerogel-derived carbon as a sustainable and high-performing alternative to traditional carbon materials in energy storage devices.