Porous carbons prepared by using metal–organic framework as the precursor for supercapacitors

Several kinds of porous carbons were easily prepared by using metal–organic framework as both template and carbon precursor. Nanocasting is chosen to adjust the textures and structures with phenolic resin or carbon tetrachloride and ethylenediamine as the additional carbon sources. The carbon materials were further activated by potassium hydroxide (KOH). The electrochemical capacitance behaviors of these carbon materials were investigated in both aqueous and organic electrolytes. Energy densities of 9.4 W h kg−1 in 6 M KOH and 31.2 W h kg−1 in 1.5 M tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate acetonitrile solution can be obtained for one of the prepared porous carbon materials (MAC-A) with the surface area of 2222 m2 g−1 and the total pore volume of 1.14 cm3 g−1. Due to its high packing density of 0.93 g cm−3, the related volumetric specific energy densities of 8.8 and 29.0 W h L−1 can be got.