From polystyrene waste to porous carbon flake and potential application in supercapacitor
Abstract
Due to white pollution related environmental concern and sustainable development requirement, it is desirable to recycle the widely used plastic wastes into products with commercial value, such as high-valued carbon materials which can be applied in electrochemical fields. In this work, porous carbon flakes (PCFs) are produced by direct pyrolysis of polystyrene waste through template method. Furthermore, manganese dioxide (MnO 2) nanosheets are selectively deposited on the surface of resultant PCFs to form hybrid (PCF-MnO 2). Because of the large specific surface area (1087 m 2/g) and high conductivity of PCFs, native high specific capacity of MnO 2, and positive synergistic interaction between PCF and MnO 2, the resulting hybrid materials show an ultrahigh capacitance of 308 F/g at 1 mV/s and 247 F/g at 1 A/g in LiCl electrolyte, and excellent cycle stability of 93.4% capacitance retention over 10,000 cycles at 10 A/g in symmetric supercapacitor device. This work demonstrates a convenient method for the preparation of cost-effective and high-performance electrode material for electric capacitor. More importantly, it provides a potential way to recycle polystyrene waste into high-valued product in large-scale with disposing of polymeric waste to alleviate environmental concerns.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
Hard templates such as SiO2 and Zn have higher carbonization temperature than sacrificial templates, and porous carbon materials are obtained after removing the templates through chemical etching.
“Hard templates such as SiO 2 and Zn have higher carbonization temperature than sacrificial templates, and porous carbon materials are obtained after removing the templates through chemical etching (Ma et al. 2020;Min et al. 2019;Wang et al. 2022a).”
From Conversion of waste plastics into value-added carbon materials (2023) · cites this paper as Min et al. 2019
The obtained composite exhibited excellent capacitance retention of 93.4% at 10,000 cycles of 10 A/g.
“The obtained composite exhibited excellent capacitance retention of 93.4% at 10,000 cycles of 10 A/g (Min et al. 2019).”
From Conversion of waste plastics into value-added carbon materials (2023) · cites this paper as Min et al. 2019
Template-based method on polystyrene in an autoclave at 973 K for 2 h produces porous carbon flakes (Min et al., 2019).
“| Template-based | Polystyrene | Autoclave | 973 K, 2 h | Porous carbon | - | Min et al. (2019) |”
From Conversion of waste plastics into value-added carbon materials (2023) · cites this paper as Min et al. (2019)
Cites
Materials for electrochemical capacitors
Simon, P., & Gogotsi, Y. G. (2008) · Nature Materials · doi:10.1038/nmat2297 · Cited by 16,474 · see citing works
Anomalous Increase in Carbon Capacitance at Pore Sizes Less Than 1 Nanometer
Chmiola, J., Yushin, G. N., Gogotsi, Y. G., Portet, C., Simon, P., & Taberna, P. (2006) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.1132195 · Cited by 4,028 · see citing works
Ordered macro-microporous metal-organic framework single crystals
Shen, K., Zhang, L., Chen, X., Liu, L., Zhang, D., Han, Y., Chen, J., Long, J., Luque, R., Li, Y., et al. (2018) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.aao3403 · Cited by 1,211 · see citing works
Self-citationA Formation Mechanism for Catalytically Grown Helix-Shaped Graphite Nanotubes
Amelinckx, S., Zhang, X. B., Bernaerts, D., Zhang, X. F., Ivanov, V., & Nagy, J. B. (1994) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.265.5172.635 · Cited by 1,018 · see citing works
Peng, L., Xu, P., Liu, B., Wu, C., Xie, Y., & Yu, G. (2013) · Nano Letters · doi:10.1021/nl400600x · Cited by 855 · see citing works
Bao, L., Zang, J., & Li, X. (2011) · Nano Letters · doi:10.1021/nl104205s · Cited by 849 · see citing works
Hydrophilic Hierarchical Nitrogen‐Doped Carbon Nanocages for Ultrahigh Supercapacitive Performance
Zhao, J. W., Lai, H., Lyu, Z., Jiang, Y., Xie, K., Wang, X., Wu, Q., Yang, L., Jin, Z., Ma, Y., et al. (2015) · Advanced Materials · doi:10.1002/adma.201500945 · Cited by 788 · see citing works
Shieh, F., Wang, S., Yen, C.-I., Wu, C.-C., Dutta, S., Chou, L., Morabito, J. V., Hu, P., Hsu, M.-H., Wu, K. C. ‐., et al. (2015) · Journal of the American Chemical Society · doi:10.1021/ja513058h · Cited by 774 · see citing works
Carbon Nanotube/Manganese Oxide Ultrathin Film Electrodes for Electrochemical Capacitors
Lee, S. W., Kim, J., Chen, S., Hammond, P. T., & Shao‐Horn, Y. (2010) · ACS Nano · doi:10.1021/nn100681d · Cited by 728 · see citing works
Fischer, A. E., Pettigrew, K. A., Rolison, D. R., Stroud, R. M., & Long, J. W. (2007) · Nano Letters · doi:10.1021/nl062263i · Cited by 590 · see citing works
Zhao, J. W., Jiang, Y., Fan, H., Liu, M., Zhuo, O., Wang, X., Wu, Q., Yang, L., Ma, Y., & Hu, Z. (2017) · Advanced Materials · doi:10.1002/adma.201604569 · Cited by 465 · see citing works
Synthesis and characterization of manganese dioxide spontaneously coated on carbon nanotubes
Bok, S., Ahn, K.-Y., Lee, E.-S., et al. (2006) · Carbon · doi:10.1016/j.carbon.2006.09.006 · Cited by 376 · see citing works
3D network of cellulose-based energy storage devices and related emerging applications
Dutta, S., Kim, J., Ide, Y., Kim, J. H., Hossain, M. S. A., Bando, Y., Yamauchi, Y., & Wu, K. C. ‐. (2017) · Materials Horizons · doi:10.1039/c6mh00500d · Cited by 323 · see citing works
Wang, Y., Lai, W., Wang, N., et al. (2017) · Energy & Environmental Science · doi:10.1039/c6ee03773a · Cited by 288 · see citing works
The thermal degradation of polystyrene nanocomposite
Jang, B. N., & Wilkie, C. A. (2005) · Polymer · doi:10.1016/j.polymer.2005.01.098 · Cited by 239 · see citing works
Liu, Y., Miao, X., Fang, J., et al. (2016) · ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces · doi:10.1021/acsami.5b10649 · Cited by 208 · see citing works
Carbon@MnO2 core–shell nanospheres for flexible high-performance supercapacitor electrode materials
Zhao, Y. S., Meng, Y., & Jiang, P. (2014) · Journal of Power Sources · doi:10.1016/j.jpowsour.2014.02.086 · Cited by 198 · see citing works
Core–shell ultramicroporous@microporous carbon nanospheres as advanced supercapacitor electrodes
Liu, M., Qian, J., Zhao, Y., Zhu, D., Gan, L., & Chen, L. (2015) · Journal of Materials Chemistry A · doi:10.1039/c5ta02224j · Cited by 181 · see citing works
Ma, X., Gan, L., Liu, M., Tripathi, P., Zhao, Y., Xu, Z., Zhu, D., & Chen, L. (2014) · Journal of Materials Chemistry A · doi:10.1039/c4ta00333k · Cited by 176 · see citing works
Liu, M., Shi, M., Lu, W., et al. (2016) · Chemical Engineering Journal · doi:10.1016/j.cej.2016.12.091 · Cited by 157 · see citing works
Upcycling: Converting Waste Plastics into Paramagnetic, Conducting, Solid, Pure Carbon Microspheres
Pol, V. G. (2010) · Environmental Science & Technology · doi:10.1021/es100243u · Cited by 152 · see citing works
Li, Y., Yu, N., Yan, P., et al. (2015) · Journal of Power Sources · doi:10.1016/j.jpowsour.2015.09.077 · Cited by 142 · see citing works
Retrieving and converting energy from polymers: deployable technologies and emerging concepts
Baytekin, B., Baytekin, H. T., & Grzybowski, B. A. (2013) · Energy & Environmental Science · doi:10.1039/c3ee41360h · Cited by 101 · see citing works
Song, Z., Zhu, D., Xue, D., et al. (2018) · ACS Applied Energy Materials · doi:10.1021/acsaem.8b00928 · Cited by 87 · see citing works
Converting mixed plastics into mesoporous hollow carbon spheres with controllable diameter
Gong, J., Liu, J., Jiang, Z., Chen, X., Wen, X., Mijowska, E., & Tang, T. (2014) · Applied Catalysis B: Environmental · doi:10.1016/j.apcatb.2014.01.051 · Cited by 81 · see citing works
Self-citationXue, D., Zhu, D., Liu, M., et al. (2018) · ACS Applied Nano Materials · doi:10.1021/acsanm.8b01125 · Cited by 69 · see citing works
Shieh, F., Hsiao, C.-T., Kao, H., et al. (2013) · RSC Advances · doi:10.1039/c3ra45016c · Cited by 67 · see citing works
Gong, J., Liu, J., Chen, X., Wen, X., Jiang, Z., Mijowska, E., Wang, Y., & Tang, T. (2013) · Microporous and Mesoporous Materials · doi:10.1016/j.micromeso.2013.03.039 · Cited by 54 · see citing works
Self-citationHearon, K., Nash, L. D., Rodriguez, J. N., Lonnecker, A. T., Raymond, J. E., Wilson, T. S., Wooley, K. L., & Maitland, D. J. (2013) · Advanced Materials · doi:10.1002/adma.201304370 · Cited by 50 · see citing works
Pressurized carbonization of mixed plastics into porous carbon sheets on magnesium oxide
Ma, J., Liu, J., Song, J., & Tang, T. (2018) · RSC Advances · doi:10.1039/c7ra12733b · Cited by 49 · see citing works
Self-citationA fast effective route to pH-dependent water-dispersion of oxidized single-walled carbon nanotubes
Arrais, A., Diana, E., Pezzini, D., et al. (2005) · Carbon · doi:10.1016/j.carbon.2005.10.012 · Cited by 45 · see citing works
Wen, Y., Liu, J., Song, J., Gong, J., Chen, H., & Tang, T. (2015) · RSC Advances · doi:10.1039/c5ra18505j · Cited by 39 · see citing works
Self-citationLv, W., Xiang, J., Wen, F., et al. (2014) · Electrochimica Acta · doi:10.1016/j.electacta.2014.11.098 · Cited by 33 · see citing works
Polystyrene-based carbon spheres as electrode for electrochemical capacitors
Sun, G., Wang, J., Li, K., Li, Y., & Xie, L. (2011) · Electrochimica Acta · doi:10.1016/j.electacta.2011.10.067 · Cited by 33 · see citing works
Hollow carbon microspheres prepared from polystyrene microbeads
Li, L., Song, H., & Chen, X. (2005) · Carbon · doi:10.1016/j.carbon.2005.09.035 · Cited by 29 · see citing works
Self-citationMin, J., Kierzek, K., Chen, X., et al. (2017) · New Journal of Chemistry · doi:10.1039/c7nj03416d · Cited by 27 · see citing works
Self-citationLow-cost, facile synthesis of carbon nanosheets by thermal pyrolysis of polystyrene composite
Hong, N., Wang, B., Song, L., Hu, S., Tang, G., Wu, Y. S., & Hu, Y. Z. (2011) · Materials Letters · doi:10.1016/j.matlet.2011.08.018 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Carbonization: A feasible route for reutilization of plastic wastes
Chen, S., Liu, Z., Jiang, S., & Hou, H. (2020) · Science of The Total Environment · doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.136250 · Cited by 213 · see citing works
Liu, X., Ma, C., Wen, Y., Chen, X., Zhao, X., Tang, T., Holze, R., & Mijowska, E. (2021) · Carbon · doi:10.1016/j.carbon.2020.09.057 · Cited by 155 · see citing works
Self-citationElectrode materials derived from plastic wastes and other industrial wastes for supercapacitors
Utetiwabo, W., Yang, L., Tufail, M. K., Zhou, L., Chen, R., Lian, Y., & Yang, W. (2020) · Chinese Chemical Letters · doi:10.1016/j.cclet.2020.01.003 · Cited by 114 · see citing works
Plastic wastes derived carbon materials for green energy and sustainable environmental applications
Chen, Z., Wei, W., Ni, B.-J., & Chen, H. (2022) · Environmental Functional Materials · doi:10.1016/j.efmat.2022.05.005 · Cited by 113 · see citing works
Upcycling plastic waste to carbon materials for electrochemical energy storage and conversion
Jiang, M., Wang, X., Xi, W., Zhou, H., Yang, P., Yao, J., Jiang, X., & Wu, D. (2023) · Chemical Engineering Journal · doi:10.1016/j.cej.2023.141962 · Cited by 112 · see citing works
Conversion of waste plastics into value-added carbon materials
Luo, Y., Lin, X., Lichtfouse, E., Jiang, H., & Wang, C. (2023) · Environmental Chemistry Letters · doi:10.1007/s10311-023-01638-7 · Cited by 100 · see citing works
Structure-oriented conversions of plastics to carbon nanomaterials
Ren, S., Xu, X., Hu, K., Tian, W., Duan, X., Yi, J., & Wang, S. (2022) · Carbon Research · doi:10.1007/s44246-022-00016-2 · Cited by 98 · see citing works
Min, J., Wen, X., Tang, T., Chen, X., Huo, K., Gong, J., Azadmanjiri, J., He, C., & Mijowska, E. (2020) · Chemical Communications · doi:10.1039/d0cc03236k · Cited by 78 · see citing works
Self-citationHaba, B., Djellali, S., Abdelouahed, Y., Boudjelida, S., Faleschini, F., & Carraro, M. (2025) · Polymers · doi:10.3390/polym17070881 · Cited by 68 · see citing works
Sustainable management of plastic wastes in COVID-19 pandemic: The biochar solution
Igalavithana, A. D., Yuan, X., Attanayake, C. P., Wang, S., You, S., Tsang, D. C. W., Nzihou, A., & Ok, Y. S. (2022) · Environmental Research · doi:10.1016/j.envres.2022.113495 · Cited by 60 · see citing works
da Silva, E. P., Fragal, V. H., Fragal, E. H., Sequinel, T., Gorup, L. F., Silva, R., & Muniz, E. C. (2023) · Waste Management · doi:10.1016/j.wasman.2023.08.028 · Cited by 37 · see citing works
Kaewtrakulchai, N., Chanpee, S., Jadsadajerm, S., Wongrerkdee, S., Manatura, K., & Eiad-Ua, A. (2024) · Carbon Resources Conversion · doi:10.1016/j.crcon.2024.100231 · Cited by 29 · see citing works
Maximizing the electrochemical performance of supercapacitor electrodes from plastic waste
Dědek, I., Bartusek, S., Dvořáček, J. J., Nečas, J., Petruš, J., Jakubec, P., Kupka, V., & Otyepka, M. (2023) · Journal of Energy Storage · doi:10.1016/j.est.2023.108660 · Cited by 28 · see citing works
Tang, Y., Cen, Z., Ma, Q., Zheng, B., Cai, Z., Liu, S., & Wu, D. (2023) · Advanced Science · doi:10.1002/advs.202206924 · Cited by 27 · see citing works
Porous carbon derived from waste plastics for energy and environmental application: A review
Hou, Q., Zhang, Y., & Wang, C. (2025) · Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering · doi:10.1016/j.jece.2025.115368 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
Transforming Nonrecyclable Plastic Waste into Cathode Materials for Energy Storage Devices
Ahmadian Hoseini, A. H., Mir, R. A., Aboonasr Shiraz, M. H., Arjmand, M., & Liu, J. (2025) · Advanced Sustainable Systems · doi:10.1002/adsu.202400650 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
- Authors
- Min, J., Zhang, S., Li, J., Klingeler, R., Wen, X., Chen, X., Zhao, X., Tang, T., & Mijowska, E.
- Affiliations
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN)
- West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin (PL)
- Heidelberg University (DE)
- Jilin University (CN)
- Corresponding author
- Chen, Xuecheng
- Zhao, Xi
- Tang, Tao
- ORCID
- Venue
- Waste Management
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2019-02
- Volume
- 85
- Pages
- 333-340
- ISSN
- 0956-053X (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2910228086
- Cited by
- 116
- References
- 37
- Citations by year
- 2026: 11 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 21 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 17 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 7
- FWCI
- 4.26
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Waste Management (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China (51303170)
- National Science Centre, Poland (SONATA BIS 2015/18/E/ST8/00291)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials › Supercapacitor Materials and Fabrication
- Physical Sciences › Energy › Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment › Electrocatalysts for Energy Conversion
- Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Materials Chemistry › MXene and MAX Phase Materials
- Keywords
- polystyrene waste, supercapacitor electrodes, manganese dioxide nanosheets, MgO template, polymer recycling, specific capacitance, cycling stability, LiCl electrolyte, white pollution
- MeSH terms
- Carbon, Electrodes, Polystyrenes, Porosity, Electric Capacitance
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
