Electrochemical capacitors, also called supercapacitors, store energy using either ion adsorption (electrochemical double layer capacitors) or fast surface redox reactions (pseudo-capacitors). They can complement or replace batteries in electrical energy storage and harvesting applications, when high power delivery or uptake is needed. A notable improvement in performance has been achieved through recent advances in understanding charge storage mechanisms and the development of advanced nanostructured materials. The discovery that ion desolvation occurs in pores smaller than the solvated ions has led to higher capacitance for electrochemical double layer capacitors using carbon electrodes with subnanometre pores, and opened the door to designing high-energy density devices using a variety of electrolytes. Combination of pseudo-capacitive nanomaterials, including oxides, nitrides and polymers, with the latest generation of nanostructured lithium electrodes has brought the energy density of electrochemical capacitors closer to that of batteries. The use of carbon nanotubes has further advanced micro-electrochemical capacitors, enabling flexible and adaptable devices to be made. Mathematical modelling and simulation will be the key to success in designing tomorrow's high-energy and high-power devices.

https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-02417326/document

Materials for electrochemical capacitors

https://www.chem.ccu.edu.tw/~joyce/referance/gump/IL/Chem.%20Rev.%201999,%2099,%202071.pdf

Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids. Solvents for Synthesis and Catalysis

In this critical review, metal oxides-based materials for electrochemical supercapacitor (ES) electrodes are reviewed in detail together with a brief review of carbon materials and conducting polymers. Their advantages, disadvantages, and performance in ES electrodes are discussed through extensive analysis of the literature, and new trends in material development are also reviewed. Two important future research directions are indicated and summarized, based on results published in the literature: the development of composite and nanostructured ES materials to overcome the major challenge posed by the low energy density of ES (476 references).

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A review of electrode materials for electrochemical supercapacitors

Fuel cells convert chemical energy directly into electrical energy with high efficiency and low emission of pollutants. However, before fuel-cell technology can gain a significant share of the electrical power market, important issues have to be addressed. These issues include optimal choice of fuel, and the development of alternative materials in the fuel-cell stack. Present fuel-cell prototypes often use materials selected more than 25 years ago. Commercialization aspects, including cost and durability, have revealed inadequacies in some of these materials. Here we summarize recent progress in the search and development of innovative alternative materials.

Materials for fuel-cell technologies

Supercapacitors, also called ultracapacitors or electrochemical capacitors, store electrical charge on high-surface-area conducting materials. Their widespread use is limited by their low energy storage density and relatively high effective series resistance. Using chemical activation of exfoliated graphite oxide, we synthesized a porous carbon with a Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area of up to 3100 square meters per gram, a high electrical conductivity, and a low oxygen and hydrogen content. This sp 2 -bonded carbon has a continuous three-dimensional network of highly curved, atom-thick walls that form primarily 0.6- to 5-nanometer-width pores. Two-electrode supercapacitor cells constructed with this carbon yielded high values of gravimetric capacitance and energy density with organic and ionic liquid electrolytes. The processes used to make this carbon are readily scalable to industrial levels.

/pdf/carbon-based-supercapacitors-produced-by-activation-of-1wqrpq3luo.pdf

Carbon-based Supercapacitors Produced by Activation of Graphene

Measurements of currents of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) at a Pt RDE coated with a recast Nafion film yield the permeability of O/sub 2/ through such films. Combined with results from linear potential scanning experiments on similar electrodes, these measurements also allow the separate evaluation of the concentration of O/sub 2/ and its diffusion coefficient in such films. Similar recast Nafion films have been used successfully to promote protonic access to catalyst sites in fuel cells. Accordingly, the maximum film thickness which would allow adequate oxygen flux through such a layer is evaluated. Measurements in 85% H/sub 3/PO/sub 4/ at room temperature show that a very significant enrichment of O/sub 2/ (e.g., by a factor of 20) in a region close to the electrode can be achieved by coating the electrode with a recast Nafion film. This result is expected from the high solubility of O/sub 2/ in Nafion.

Oxygen Reduction Kinetics on a Platinum RDE Coated with a Recast Nafion Film.

A shorted membrane electrochemical cell powered by hydrogen to remove CO2 from the air feed of hydroxide exchange membrane fuel cells

We have prepared amperometric glucose sensitive electrodes with a composite active layer consisting of Nafion, glucose oxidase, and carbon-supported platinum particles. A particularly advantageous configuration results from the use of such a film on a gas diffusion electrode. We demonstrate that the gas diffusion electrode configuration enables us to supply oxygen from the back of the electrode, thus providing the capability of operating the sensor independent of dissolved oxygen. The insensitivity to solution oxygen concentration has been demonstrated by monitoring the glucose response of the electrode after extensive deoxygenation of solution. Cast composite layers yield mechanically robust coatings with high enzyme loadings, and thus high sensitivity to glucose. The electrode responds rapidly and is stable over a long period (90% activity after more than half a year) when stored in solution. We have optimized the composition of the sensitive layer with respect to Nafion to C/Pt ratio and enzyme loading.

Shimshon Gottesfeld

Papers

Oxygen Reduction Kinetics on a Platinum RDE Coated with a Recast Nafion Film.

A shorted membrane electrochemical cell powered by hydrogen to remove CO2 from the air feed of hydroxide exchange membrane fuel cells

Thin‐layer composite enzyme electrodes for glucose determinations

The physical and chemical state of phosphoric acid fuel cell assemblies after long term operation: surface and near-surface analysis

Ellipsometric studies of conducting polymers