CMI researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory conducted the research for this highlight
Innovation
A recent manuscript details how surface-initiated electrochemical process enables simultaneous graphitization & activation of mesoporous carbon without catalysts.
Achievement
- Controlled graphitization starts at the pore surface and propagates inward, forming uniform surface-graphitized mesoporous carbon.
- Surface area doubled with ~100% carbon yield.
- Conductivity enhanced while preserving mesoporosity.
Significance and Impact
Resolves the long-standing graphitization–porosity trade-off, delivering highly conductive, high-surface-area carbons for advanced electrochemical energy storage.
Hub Target Addressed
Scalable materials processing for persistent challenges in graphite materials.
J. Fan, Y. Yuan, T. Wang, H. Luo, F. Wang, Q. Wang, S. M. Mahurin, B. P. Thapaliya, L. He, J. Liu, N. Samartzis, Z. Yang, S. Dai, Adv. Sci. 2026, e19661.
