Synthesis of Coal Tar-Based Hypercrosslinked Polymers via Friedel-Crafts Alkylation: An Efficient Way to Access Carbon Electrode Material for Supercapacitors

Abstract

Coal tar (CT) has potential applications as a carbon material precursor due to its malleability and high carbon content. However, the low carbonization rate of CT is a major constraint to its development. In this work, a microporous carbon material (CF₂CT) is synthesized from CT via the Friedel–Crafts alkylation reaction, which results in a significant increase in the carbonization yield (68%). In the absence of an activator, the CF₂CT showed specific surface areas (766 m² g⁻¹) and micropore volumes (0.32 cm³ g⁻¹), with pore diameters mainly centered on 0.5–0.8 nm. The CF₂CT exhibited an excellent gravimetric capacitance of 342 F g⁻¹ under 1 A g⁻¹ in a three-electrode system, while its capacitance remained approximately 98% over 10 000 cycles under 10 A g⁻¹. The symmetrical supercapacitors fabricated with CF₂CT showed a 7.8 Wh kg⁻¹ energy density and a 250 W kg⁻¹ power density, with capacitance remaining up to 100% at 10 A g⁻¹ after undergoing 10 000 cycles. This study proposes an idea for the preparation of high-yield carbon precursors from coal tar while also offering a promising HCP-derived carbon material for supercapacitor electrodes.

Keywords

coal tar / Friedel–Crafts alkylation reaction / hypercrosslinked polymers (HCPs) / microporous carbon / supercapacitor

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2025 The Author(s). Energy & Environmental Materials published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Zhengzhou University.