Chemical fuel energy driving polymerization towards porous carbon nitride for energy storage application

A chemical reaction network has been utilized as an energy and radical source to drive a polymerization of acrylonitrile monomer in an aqueous solution. The polymer is formed in a polymerization-induced self-assembly fashion. The carbonization of polyacrylonitrile leads to the formation of nanoporous carbon nitride. Ru species are observed in the porous polymer and carbon nitride. Tris (2,2′-bipyridyl) ruthenium(ii) chloride hexahydrate, a catalyst used in the B-Z reaction, remains in the carbon nitride framework, enhancing the electronic and chemical properties of the composites. The electrochemical properties of the composites were studied using cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge-discharge, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The specific capacitance of the electrode was found to be 763 F g−1 at 0.3 A g−1 current densities. The excellent specific capacitance behavior is mainly attributed to micro/mesopores structure, active sites for a superior redox reaction, intimate contact between Ru/RuO2 nanoparticles with amorphous carbon nitride, rapid transportation of ions, and fast electrolyte transfer process.