Architecture and Electrochemical Performance of Alkynyl-Linked Naphthyl Carbon Skeleton: Naphyne

The synthesis of new sp-hybridized carbon allotropes is a meaningful and challenging issue. Among the alkynyl carbon family, polyaromatic alkynes is a new branch to be developed. Herein, naphyne with a frame construction of alkynyl-linked naphthyl skeleton was efficiently fabricated through targeted mechanochemical reaction of calcium carbide and perchloronaphthalene. Its unique property and structure with wide alkynyl-naphthyl conjugation, multilayered nanofilm morphology, and high structural stability were corroborated by the comprehensive characterizations combined with computational simulations. Because of these structural features, the as-prepared naphyne can be applied as high-performance binder-free supercapacitor electrode with high specific capacitance (154 F g–1), robust long-term retention (92.1% after 5000 cycles), and prominent electrical conductivity (1490 S m–1). The successful architecture of naphyne approves the feasible synthesis of polyaromatic alkynes and further may provide a prospective approach for the development of alkynyl carbon materials.