journal article·2025-06Open access

Phase Diagram‐Guided Molten Salt Engineering of Biocarbon Pores at Low Temperatures

Pu Yang, Jing Ma, Kai Yang, Daotong Zhang, Penghui Zhu, Weimin Chen, Xiaotao Bi, Feng Jiang

Small· Volume 21· Issue 25

Abstract

Abstract Pore structure engineering of biocarbon is crucial for enhancing its performance. Herein, a phase diagram‐guided molten salt activation method is systematically developed to prepare biocarbon with a tunable pore structure at low temperature (500 °C). This strategy incorporates key activation variables on the phase diagram of binary salts, including salt type, ratio, phase partition, and operating temperature. Among various salts, ZnCl 2 with a low melting point (≈290 °C) is selected as the “pioneering” primary salt to swell biomass precursor and create porous channels conducive to the ion diffusion of secondary salts. Based on the liquid‐solid equilibrium curve, specific amounts of secondary salts can be dissolved into molten ZnCl 2 , facilitating the delivery of secondary salt ions to the inner active sites. The carefully selected secondary salts with varied solubility, reactivity, and ionic sizes further enhance pore creation (reaching a specific surface area of 2491 m 2 g −1 ) and regulate pore sizes by catalytic reactions and pore filling. The understanding of the underlying ion diffusion and pore evolution mechanism (formation, growth, and stabilization) in binary molten salt systems provides a unique and versatile guide for producing biocarbon with tunable pore structure at low temperatures, supporting applications including energy storage and carbon capture.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline

Research context

OpenAlex topics: Supercapacitor Materials and Fabrication · Catalysis for Biomass Conversion · Advanced Battery Materials and Technologies

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Sustainable Functional Biomaterials Laboratory Department of Wood Science The University of British Columbia Vancouver BC V6T 1Z4 Canada

Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering The University of British Columbia Vancouver BC V6T 1Z3 Canada

Co‐Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources Nanjing Forestry University Nanjing 210037 China

International Innovation Center for Forest Chemicals and Materials Nanjing Forestry University Nanjing 210037 China

Funding

Canada Foundation for Innovation · China Scholarship Council · Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada

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