Bioderived Ionic Liquids and Salts with Various Cyano Anions as Precursors for Doped Carbon Materials

Carbohydrate moieties were combined with various cross-linkable anions (thiocyanate [SCN], tetracyanoborate [TCB], tricyanomethanide [TCM], and dicyanamide [DCA]) and investigated as precursors for the synthesis of nitrogen-doped and nitrogen-/sulfur-co-doped carbons. The influence of the molecular structures of the precursors on their thermophysical properties and the properties of the derived carbon materials was elucidated and compared to petroleum-derived analogs. A carbohydrate-based ionic liquid featuring an [SCN] anion yielded more carbon residues upon carbonization than its 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium analog, and the resulting dual-doping of the derived carbon material translated to enhanced catalytic activity in the oxygen reduction reaction.