Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are network-like frameworks composed of transition metals and organic ligands containing oxygen or nitrogen. Because of its highly controllable composition and ordered porous structure, it has broad application prospects in the field of material synthesis. In this work, Zn4( PYDC)4(DMF)2∙3DMF (ZPD) was synthesized via a hydrothermal method. Self-doped nitrogen porous carbon ZPDC-T was then prepared by one-step carbonization. The results show that the self-doped nitrogen porous carbon ZPDC-850 has a micro/mesoporous structure with a specific surface area of 1520 m2 g− 1 and a nitrogen content of 6.47%. When a current density is 1.0 A g− 1, its specific capacitance is 265.1 F g− 1. After 5000 times of constant current charging and discharging, the capacitance retention rate was 79.2%. Thus, self-doped nitrogen porous carbon ZPDC-850 exhibits excellent electrochemical properties and good cyclic stability. Therefore, the self-doped nitrogen porous carbon derived from MOFs can be a promising electrode material for supercapacitors.

Energy and environmental are always two major challenges for the sustainable development of the modern human being. For avoiding the serious environmental pollution caused in the fabrication process of porous carbon, a popular energy storage material, we reported a facile, green and activating agent free route hereby directly carbonizing a special biomass, Glebionis coronaria. A nitrogen doped hierarchical porous carbon with a specific surface area of up to 1007 m2 g−1 and a N doping content of up to 2.65 at.% was facilely fabricated by employing the above route. Benefiting from the peculiarly hierarchical porous morphology, enhanced wettability and improved conductivity, the obtained material exhibits superior capacitance performance, which capacitance reaches up to 205 F g−1 under two-electrode configuration, and no capacitance loss is observed after 5000 cycles. Meanwhile, the capacitance retention of the obtained material arrives up to 95.0% even under a high current density of 20 A g−1, illuminating its excellent rate capability. The fabricated nitrogen-doped hierarchical porous carbon with larger capacitance than commercial activated carbon, excellent rate capability and cycle stability is an ideal cost-efficient substitution of commercial activated carbon for supercapacitor application.

The present work introduces a new method for the recycling of waste flocculation sludge to prepare electrode materials for supercapacitor. Hazardous azo dye was removal from textile dying wastewater by a new chitosan-based flocculant, and the generated dye sludge flocs was used as a nitrogen-containing precursor for the fabrication of N-doped carbon materials. The influence of azo dye on specific surface areas, nitrogen content, pore evolution of the resulting products and their electrochemical performance were investigated in detail. The results demonstrated a dual role of azo dye worked as both a nitrogen resource and pore-forming agent. The resulting N-doped carbon nanosheets derived from azo dye flocs demonstrated high electrochemical capacitance and good stability for supercapacitor electrode, which is attributed to the unique nitrogen doping, higher specific surface area and efficient charge transfer ability.