Sulfonated carbon-based materials are used in catalysis and energy storage
Wunanling County Chemical Production Plant. The above-mentioned sulfonated carbon-based materials are the wonders of catalysis and energy storage.

Sulfonated carbon-based materials are important in academia and industry in recent years. It is based on carbon and has been sulfonated by the method of sulfonation, giving special properties. Carbon materials are easy to obtain and inexpensive, with high specific surface area, good thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity. They are sulfonated and acidic functional groups are added, which greatly increases catalytic activity.

In the field of catalysis, sulfonated carbon-based materials have made remarkable achievements. In organic synthesis, it can replace traditional homogeneous acid catalysts. For example, although conventional sulfuric acid catalysis is effective in esterification reactions, it is difficult to separate, corrode equipment and generate waste acids. Sulfonated carbon-based materials are solid, easy to separate from the product, can be recycled, green and economical. The same is true for acetalization and etherification reactions, whose acidic check point is precisely catalyzed to improve the reaction rate and selectivity. And in biomass conversion, cellulose and hemicellulose can be hydrolyzed into sugars, and then biofuels and high-value chemicals can be produced, paving the way for sustainable energy and chemical industry.

In terms of energy storage, sulfonated carbon-based materials are also promising. In supercapacitors, their high specific surface area and good conductivity benefit ion adsorption and charge transfer, and increase capacitance. In battery electrode materials, it can improve the interface properties between electrodes and electrolytes, improve battery charging and discharging efficiency and cycle life. Lithium-sulfur battery problems are frequent, such as polysulfide shuttle effect, sulfonated carbon-based materials can chemically adsorb polysulfides, stabilize electrode structure, and improve battery performance.

There are various methods for preparing sulfonated carbon-based materials. The pyrolysis method uses carbon sources such as biomass and polymers, which are treated at high temperature to form a carbon skeleton and then sulfonated. The hydrothermal method can carbonize and sulfonate carbon sources in one step under mild hydrothermal conditions. The operation is simple and the energy consumption is low. The template method uses the template to control the morphology and pore size of the material, and precisely adjusts its structure and performance.

However, its development also encounters challenges. Stability needs to be mentioned, and long-term use may cause loss of active check points and structural damage. The large-scale preparation process needs to be optimized to reduce costs and benefit industrialization. In the future, researchers and industrialists are expected to join hands to solve problems and make sulfonated carbon-based materials shine in catalysis and energy storage, contributing to the development of the world.