Project

N- and S-heteroatoms co-doping in porous carbon gels for electrochemical capacitors
МULTILATERAL SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL COOPERATION IN THE DANUBE REGION - 2024 Contract No: КП-06-Дунав/9 from 16.07.2025; Durations: 24 mounts
Main Objectives

The project aims to develop nitrogen- and sulfur-co-doped carbon gels for high-performance supercapacitors. It focuses on understanding the role of heteroatoms in the carbon structure and optimizing the gels’ porosity for efficient electrochemical performance.

Key objectives include:
  • Synthesis and Porosity Tuning: Creating 3D gel networks from polymer precursors containing N and S, carbonizing them, and tailoring pore structures for improved ion transport and electrode performance.
  • Heteroatom Functionalities: Studying the evolution of nitrogen and sulfur atoms, their linkages, and chemical functionalities within the carbon matrix, alongside structural and morphological analysis.
  • Electrochemical Performance: Evaluating how porosity and co-doping affect the behavior of carbon gels in supercapacitor applications.

The project targets highly porous carbon gels with tunable surface chemistry and porosity. These materials promise high surface area, long cycle life, low production cost, and environmental friendliness.

Collaboration and Expertise
The project is carried out in partnership with the University of Ostrava (Czech Republic), the University of Haute-Alsace, Institut de Science des Matériaux de Mulhouse (France), and the Institute of Electrochemistry and Energy Systems at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. The partners bring complementary expertise in material synthesis, structural characterization, and electrochemical evaluation. OU and UHA focus on designing and analyzing carbon-based and hybrid materials, while IEES–BAS specializes in electrochemical testing and performance evaluation in supercapacitor cells. This interdisciplinary collaboration ensures effective knowledge exchange and synergy, driving the development of sustainable, high-efficiency energy storage solutions.
IEES
UO
IS2M

Institute of Electrochemistry and Energy Systems (IEES), Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS), Bulgaria

IEES is a leading national center in electrochemical power sources and energy storage systems. The institute conducts fundamental and applied research in electrochemical materials, hydrogen energy, energy conversion, and storage, covering the full cycle from materials development to pre-industrial prototypes. IEES trains specialists, PhD candidates, and postdoctoral researchers, and collaborates with both national and international industry partners.
IEES leads the Centre of Competence “Technologies for Generating, Storing and Consuming Clean Energy (HITMOBILE)”, coordinates the national infrastructure NI ESHER, and participates in the National Centre of Mechatronics and Clean Technologies.

 

University of Ostrava (UO), Czech Republic

The Department of Chemistry at the Faculty of Science offers bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, and RNDr. programmes, along with certification and professional development for educators. The department combines strong theoretical instruction with hands-on laboratory training using state-of-the-art facilities.
Research focuses on physical chemistry of surfaces, including adsorption mechanisms, advanced adsorbent materials, nanoparticle synthesis, and photocatalysis, supported by advanced analytical methods (HPLC-MS, spectroscopy). The department also performs biochemical analyses of pharmaceuticals, plant metabolites, antioxidants, and pigments, and actively collaborates with industry, government, and partner universities.
r.

Mulhouse Materials Science Institute (IS2M), University of Haute-Alsace (UHA), France

IS2M is a CNRS-University mixed research unit in Haute-Alsace, recognized for its multidisciplinary research and international visibility. The institute advances research in Surfaces and Interfaces, Functionalization, and Porous Materials, developing innovative methods for synthesis, functionalization, bio-functionalization, characterization, and surface interactions.
Research is organized across 10 thematic axes, including multidimensional and porous materials, carbon and hybrid materials, low-dimensional systems, photochemistry and photopolymerization, biomaterials, and multi-scale numerical simulations. IS2M operates 11 technical platforms, hosts over 200 researchers and students, maintains 30+ academic and industrial partnerships annually, and publishes ~190 papers per year.
IS2M also coordinates the Mat-Light 4.0 flagship project, part of the national “Excellence in All Its Forms” initiative, strengthening UHA’s position as a global leader in light-induced processes.
Vincent Roucoules – Director, IS2M

 

 

Project Work Programme

The project work programme is organized into several main stages, covering the synthesis, characterization, optimization, and application of carbon gels co-doped with heteroatoms. Each stage includes specific activities, tasks, and key results, with a timeline structured according to the logic of the research process
1

WP1. Synthesis and porosity tuning of heteroatoms co-doped carbon gels

(Tasks 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 – carried out at OU)

This work package focuses on developing nitrogen- and sulfur-co-doped carbon gels with controlled porosity for supercapacitor applications. Novel heterocyclic aldehydes will be used to introduce heteroatoms into the gel network. The structure and porosity of the gels will be optimized through variations in precursor composition, catalysts, drying techniques, carbonization conditions, and other tailored strategies.

Additional modifications include template-based methods to create mesopores, activation protocols (e.g., CO₂ activation) to enhance microporosity, and catalytic agents such as FeCl₃ to induce graphitization and structural tuning. Advanced characterization methods, including physisorption and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), will be applied to study pore structure and reaction kinetics, aiming to maximize the gels’ electrochemical performance.

2

WP2. Evolution of heteroatoms co-doping in carbon gels: Detailed characterizations

(Tasks 2.1 and 2.2 – carried out at UHA)

This package will examine the evolution of heteroatoms, their chemical linkages, and structural and morphological changes in the carbon gels. Elemental compositions will be determined using CHNS analysis, while surface chemistry and functionalities will be analyzed via EDS, XPS, and FTIR spectroscopy. Morphology and structure will be studied with SEM, TEM, XRD, and Raman spectroscopy.

For precise sulfur detection, temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) at UHA will be used and results cross-validated with thermogravimetry-mass spectrometry (TG-MS) at OU. This comprehensive analysis will guide optimization of the gels’ electrochemical properties.

3

WP3. Fabrication of electrodes and their testing for electrochemical capacitors (ECs) arbon gels: Detailed characterizations

(Tasks 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 – carried out at IEES-BAS)

Optimized carbon gels will be used to fabricate electrodes by slurry-coating them onto Ni foam or carbon substrates with conductive additives and binders. Electrodes will be tested in standard electrochemical cells to evaluate their performance in supercapacitors.

Electrochemical characterization will include cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronopotentiometry, galvanostatic charge–discharge, and impedance spectroscopy (EIS). This will determine capacitance, stability, and efficiency, providing essential feedback for further material optimization and practical supercapacitor applications.

Project Timeline

The tasks will be carried out over a 24-month period. The work programme is divided into several main stages with clearly defined timeframes for each task
WP/Month 01-03 04-06 07-09 09-12 13-15 16-18 19-21 22-24 Partner
WP1, Task 1.1 OU
WP1, Task 1.2 OU
WP1, Task 1.3 OU
WP2, Task 2.1 UHA
WP2, Task 2.2 UHA
WP3, Task 3.1 IEES-BAS
WP3, Task 3.2 IEES-BAS