Synthesis of nitrogen and boron co-doped carbon (CNB) and their CO2 capture properties: from porous to hollow granule structure

Abstract

Since its first synthesis, carbide-derived carbon has been examined for use in various applications, and its performance has been both interesting and outstanding. Despite its useful conformal character, its variety of chemical composition is limited because functionalized atoms in its carbonaceous structure, especially with nitrogen, are unstable during high-temperature processing. In this paper, we demonstrate the enhancement of nitrogen stability and an increase in surface area by boron addition. We also synthesized a hollow granule structure of nitrogen/boron co-doped porous carbon in high yield by using a nitrogen-rich precursor without any additive template. High CO₂ capture (3.7 mmol g⁻¹) was measured at ambient temperature and 1 bar with an excellent CO₂/N₂ selectivity.