Efficient synthesis of sulfur and nitrogen Co-doped porous carbon by microwave-assisted pyrolysis of ionic liquid

Sulfur and nitrogen co-doped porous carbon (SNDPC) was successfully synthesized using one-step microwave-assisted pyrolysis of ionic liquid. The structure and morphology of the pyrolysis products were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The pyrolysis mechanism of the ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis((trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl)imide (EMImNTf₂) under microwave irradiation was discussed. Microwave irradiation was found to accelerate the pyrolysis of EMImNTf₂. The cation of EMImNTf₂ works as the precursor of the carbon backbone of the porous carbon, while the anion acts as sulfur source and porosity-directing regulator. The SNDPC was obtained at 320 °C and exhibited graphitic structure with numerous surface defects. The atomic percentages of N and S in SNDPC were 12.84% and 1.07%, respectively. The N atoms mainly substitute the C sites in the graphitic carbon matrix, whereas the S atoms mainly bond to the ledges and defects of the carbon matrix.