Materials supercapacitor

Keywords Polypyrrole, inorganic nanomaterials, nanocomposites, electrode materials, supercapacitors... 

New Carbon Based Materials for Electrochemical Energy Storage Systems Batteries, Supercapacitors and Fuel Cells... 

A classic definition of electrochemical ultracapacitors or supercapacitors summarizes them as devices, which store electrical energy via charge in the electrical double layer, mainly by electrostatic forces, without phase transformation in the electrode materials. Most commercially available capacitors consist of two high surface area carbon electrodes with graphitic or soot-like material as electrical conductivity enhancement additives. Chapter 1 of this volume contains seven papers with overview presentations, and development reports, as related to new carbon materials for this emerging segment of the energy market. 

In the third paper by French and Ukrainian scientists (Khomenko et al.), the authors focus on high performance a-MnCVcarbon nanotube composites as pseudo-capacitor materials. Somewhat surprisingly, this paper teaches to use carbon nanotubes for the role of conductive additives, thus suggesting an alternative to the carbon blacks and graphite materials - low cost, widely accepted conductive diluents, which are typically used in todays supercapacitors. The electrochemical devices used in the report are full symmetric and optimized asymmetric systems, and are discussed here... 

In the sixth paper of this chapter, Kierzek et al., mainly focus on modeling of pore formation vs surface area growth phenomena upon activation of coal and pitch-derived carbon precursors. These authors briefly touch on other precursor carbons as well. The properties of newly synthesized materials are being looked at from the point of view of their application as active materials in the supercapacitor electrodes. Editors thought this work by the Institute of Chemistiy and Technology of Petroleum and Coal in Poland, could be of genuine interest to the practical developers of carbon materials for the supercapacitor industry. 

In the last paper, A. Lewandowski et al. of Poland, examines the role of ionic liquids as new electrolytes for carbon-based supercapacitors. Although not directly addressing the role of new carbon materials (the area of major focus of this book), this interesting theoretical work seeks to optimize electrolyte media, which is in contact with carbon electrodes. 

NOVEL CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS FOR APPLICATION IN THE ELECTROCHEMICAL SUPERCAPACITORS... 

Under severe conditions (above 700°C), a potassium vapor is formed. It plays a special role in the activation of carbonaceous materials, easily penetrating in the graphitic domains that form cage-like micropores. The efficient development of micropores, which often gives a few-fold increase of the total specific surface area, is very useful for the application of these materials in supercapacitors [13-14]. 

Frackowiak E., Jurewicz K., Delpeux S., Beguin F. Nanotubular materials for supercapacitors. J Power Sourc 2001 97-98 822-5. 

The present work describes the results of investigations of carbon materials used by us for creation of conductive skeletons in the EC electrode body. Investigations were carried out in full-size Ni Oxide and carbon-carbon supercapacitor systems with aqueous solution of KOH. 

Another important aspect for a material to be used as electrode for supercapacitors is its electrochemical stability. In Figure 2, presenting the specific discharge capacitance versus the cycle number for the optimized a-Mn02-nl FO/CNTs composite in 2 molL 1 KNO3 (pH=6.5), it can be observed that the specific capacitance loss after 200 cycles is about 20%. 

Jiang J, Kucemak A. Electrochemical supercapacitor material based on manganese oxide preparation and characterization. Electrochim. Acta 2002 47 2381-6. 

Electronically conducting polymers (ECPs) such as polyaniline (PANI), polypyrrole (PPy) and po 1 y(3.4-cthy 1 cncdi oxyth iophcnc) (PEDOT) have been applied in supercapacitors, due to their excellent electrochemical properties and lower cost than other ECPs. We demonstrated that multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) prepared by catalytic decomposition of acetylene in a solid solution are very effective conductivity additives in composite materials based on ECPs. In this paper, we show that a successful application of ECPs in supercapacitor technologies could be possible only in an asymmetric configuration, i.e. with electrodes of different nature. 

In this paper, we report on the preparation of ECP composites based on carbon materials. In parallel with the development of the preparation processes and the electrochemical characterization of composites, we have performed an analysis of the supercapacitor cell design based on ECPs. 

Mastragostino M., Arbizzani C., Soavi F. Conducting polymers as electrode materials in supercapacitors. Solid State Ionics 2002 148 493-8. 

The activation with KOH of selected parent materials under appropriate process conditions (temperature, time, reagent ratio) can provide highly porous carbons of controlled pore size distribution and surface chemistry, also suitable for use as electrode materials in supercapacitors. 

X.Y. Song, Xi Chu and K. Kinoshita, in New Sealed Rechargeable Batteries and Supercapacitors, MRS Symposium Proceedings Volume 393, Materials Research Society, Warrendale, 1995, p321. 

The contribution by Rouzaud et al. teaches to apply a modified version of high resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) as an efficient technique of quantitative investigation of the mechanism of irreversible capacity loss in various carbon candidates for application in lithium-ion batteries. The authors introduce the Corridor model , which is interesting and is likely to stimulate active discussion within the lithium-ion battery community. Besides carbon fibers coated with polycarbon (a candidate anode material for lithium-ion technology), authors study carbon aerogels, a known material for supercapacitor application. Besides the capability to form an efficient double electric layer in these aerogels, authors... 

Graphite materials produced at 600-1100°C may find applications in lithium batteries and supercapacitors. Currently, similar flakes are produced in a complex process including graphitization at above 2500°C,16 followed by intercalation and exfoliation of graphite15. Here we demonstrate that synthesis of graphite from iron carbide can be done in one step at moderate temperatures. 

Combined with appropriate amorphous carbon precursors graphite intercalation compounds could be used in one-stage process of production of carbon-carbon composites, which could possess attractive properties for such applications as supercapacitors elements, sorbents as well as catalyst supports and materials for energy- and gas-storage systems. 

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