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Frontiers of Chemical Science and Engineering

ISSN 2095-0179

ISSN 2095-0187(Online)

CN 11-5981/TQ

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Front. Chem. Sci. Eng.    2023, Vol. 17 Issue (8) : 1051-1064    https://doi.org/10.1007/s11705-022-2248-x
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Facile strategy for carbon foam fabrication with lignin as sole feedstock and its applications
Linghong Yin1, Zizhu Zhao1, Meng Han2, Wangda Qu1()
1. Laboratory of Lignin-Based Materials, College of Life Sciences, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China
2. Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Electronic Materials, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
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Abstract

This research is a follow-up to our recent discovery of a facile strategy for directly converting lignin powder into carbon foam. In this work, we report that the thermal pretreatment parameters in air can remarkably influence the formation and properties of the derived carbon foam. Thermal pretreatment parameters (heating rate, temperature, and residence time) were systematically investigated and a conversion mechanism into carbon foam was proposed. During the thermal pretreatment, relatively low temperatures, low heating rates, and short residence time hindered the formation of smooth and well-connected structures in the carbon foam. The overall product yields were similar regardless of the thermal pretreatment conditions. The densities of the different carbon foams ranged 0.27–0.83 g∙cm−3. The carbon foams with the highest compressive strengths (> 10 MPa) were KLPC280-2-5, KLPC300-0-5, and KLPC300-2-2.5. KLPC280-2-5 exhibited a high iodine sorption value (182 mg∙g−1). KLPC300-2-5 exhibited a specific capacitance of 158 F∙g−1 at a current density of 0.05 A∙g−1. The maximum evaporation rates in the solar vapor generation experiments were 1.05 and 1.38 kg∙m−2∙h−1 under 100 and 150 mW∙cm−2 irradiation, respectively. The good performances are attributed to the robust, porous, and continuous structure.
Keywords lignin      carbon foam      thermal pretreatment      solar vapor generation     
Corresponding Author(s): Wangda Qu   
Just Accepted Date: 23 September 2022   Online First Date: 28 February 2023    Issue Date: 20 July 2023
 Cite this article:   
Linghong Yin,Zizhu Zhao,Meng Han, et al. Facile strategy for carbon foam fabrication with lignin as sole feedstock and its applications[J]. Front. Chem. Sci. Eng., 2023, 17(8): 1051-1064.
 URL:  
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fcse/EN/10.1007/s11705-022-2248-x
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fcse/EN/Y2023/V17/I8/1051
Fig.1  (a) Schematic illustration of the formation of carbon foams; photographs of (b) lignin powder and (c) lignin powder after thermal pretreatment and carbonization.
Fig.2  TG-DTG curves obtained by simulating the thermal pretreatment process and varying the following parameters: (a) residence time of 0, 2, and 4 h; (b) heating rates of 2.5, 5, and 10 °C?min?1; and (c) temperatures of 280, 300, and 320 °C; (d) 13C solid-state NMR results of lignin powder and KLP300-2-5; (e) FTIR results of lignin powder before and after thermal pretreatment. (f) FTIR results of all KLPCx-y-z carbon foams.
Fig.3  (a) Product yields, (b) density of KLP(C)x-y-z samples, (c) stress-strain curves of KLPCx-y-z carbon foams, and (d) compressive strength data of KLP(C)x-y-z samples.
Fig.4  SEM images of (a) KLPC300-0-5, (b) KLPC300-2-5, (c) KLPC300-4-5, (d) KLPC300-2-2.5, (e) KLPC300-2-10, (f) KLPC280-2-5, and (g) KLPC320-2-5; (h) XRD patterns and (i) Raman data of all KLPCx-y-z carbon foams.
Fig.5  (a) Thermal conductivity, (b) electrical conductivity, and (c) iodine adsorption of all carbon foams; (d) N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms of KLPC280-2-5 measured at 77 K, and inset displays the corresponding Barrett–Joyner–Halenda (BJH) adsorption dV/dD pore volume and pore diameter distribution profile.
Fig.6  Formation mechanism of lignin-based carbon foams.
Fig.7  (a) Schematic diagram of solar vapor generation, (b) surface temperature change of carbon foam under irradiation at 0, 15, and 30 min, (c) mass change vs. time, and (d) evaporation rate vs. time under illumination over 120 min at different currents with and without carbon foam.
Fig.8  Electrochemical performance of KLPC300-2-5 was measured in a three-electrode system: (a) CV tests at various scan rates, (b) GCD curves at different current densities, and (c) specific capacitances at different current densities, and (d) Nyquist plot of KLPC300-2-5 electrode.
Fig.9  (a) Infrared thermal images of KLPC300-2-2.5 on a hot platform before and after heating to 100 °C for 10, 20, 30, and 60 s; (b) schematic diagram of ice cubes placed on carbon foams for heat insulation; melting behavior of ice cube on (c) KLPC300-2-5 and (d) steel plate under alcohol lamp heating; (e) images of carbon foam heated directly by butane flame at 0, 30, and 60 s, and the change in status after removing the flame at 1, 15, and 30 s.
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