Carbon-based materials as supercapacitor electrodes
TL;DR: This tutorial review provides a brief summary of recent research progress on carbon-based electrode materials forsupercapacitors, as well as the importance of electrolytes in the development of supercapacitor technology.
Abstract: This tutorial review provides a brief summary of recent research progress on carbon-based electrode materials for supercapacitors, as well as the importance of electrolytes in the development of supercapacitor technology. The basic principles of supercapacitors, the characteristics and performances of various nanostructured carbon-based electrode materials are discussed. Aqueous and non-aqueous electrolyte solutions used in supercapacitors are compared. The trend on future development of high-power and high-energy supercapacitors is analyzed.
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TL;DR: 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.
Abstract: 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).
7,642 citations
TL;DR: This work synthesized a porous carbon with a Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area, a high electrical conductivity, and a low oxygen and hydrogen content that has high values of gravimetric capacitance and energy density with organic and ionic liquid electrolytes.
Abstract: 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.
5,486 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the pseudocapacitance properties of transition metal oxides have been investigated and a review of the most relevant pseudo-capacitive materials in aqueous and non-aqueous electrolytes is presented.
Abstract: Electrochemical energy storage technology is based on devices capable of exhibiting high energy density (batteries) or high power density (electrochemical capacitors). There is a growing need, for current and near-future applications, where both high energy and high power densities are required in the same material. Pseudocapacitance, a faradaic process involving surface or near surface redox reactions, offers a means of achieving high energy density at high charge–discharge rates. Here, we focus on the pseudocapacitive properties of transition metal oxides. First, we introduce pseudocapacitance and describe its electrochemical features. Then, we review the most relevant pseudocapacitive materials in aqueous and non-aqueous electrolytes. The major challenges for pseudocapacitive materials along with a future outlook are detailed at the end.
3,930 citations
TL;DR: The unique advances on ultrathin 2D nanomaterials are introduced, followed by the description of their composition and crystal structures, and the assortments of their synthetic methods are summarized.
Abstract: Since the discovery of mechanically exfoliated graphene in 2004, research on ultrathin two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials has grown exponentially in the fields of condensed matter physics, material science, chemistry, and nanotechnology. Highlighting their compelling physical, chemical, electronic, and optical properties, as well as their various potential applications, in this Review, we summarize the state-of-art progress on the ultrathin 2D nanomaterials with a particular emphasis on their recent advances. First, we introduce the unique advances on ultrathin 2D nanomaterials, followed by the description of their composition and crystal structures. The assortments of their synthetic methods are then summarized, including insights on their advantages and limitations, alongside some recommendations on suitable characterization techniques. We also discuss in detail the utilization of these ultrathin 2D nanomaterials for wide ranges of potential applications among the electronics/optoelectronics, electrocat...
3,628 citations
TL;DR: It is shown that graphite oxide sheets can be converted by infrared laser irradiation into porous graphene sheets that are flexible, robust, and highly conductive, and hold promise for high-power, flexible electronics.
Abstract: Although electrochemical capacitors (ECs), also known as supercapacitors or ultracapacitors, charge and discharge faster than batteries, they are still limited by low energy densities and slow rate capabilities. We used a standard LightScribe DVD optical drive to do the direct laser reduction of graphite oxide films to graphene. The produced films are mechanically robust, show high electrical conductivity (1738 siemens per meter) and specific surface area (1520 square meters per gram), and can thus be used directly as EC electrodes without the need for binders or current collectors, as is the case for conventional ECs. Devices made with these electrodes exhibit ultrahigh energy density values in different electrolytes while maintaining the high power density and excellent cycle stability of ECs. Moreover, these ECs maintain excellent electrochemical attributes under high mechanical stress and thus hold promise for high-power, flexible electronics.
3,603 citations
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TL;DR: This paper presents a probabilistic analysis of the response of the immune system to natural disasters to the presence of carbon dioxide in the air and shows clear patterns of decline over time.
Abstract: [Wang, Da-Wei; Li, Feng; Liu, Min; Cheng, Hui-Ming] Chinese Acad Sci, Inst Met Res, Shenyang Natl Lab Mat Sci, Shenyang 110016, Peoples R China. [Lu, Gao Qing] Univ Queensland, AIBN, Australia Res Council Ctr Funct Nanomat, Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia. [Lu, Gao Qing] Univ Queensland, Sch Engn, Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia.;Cheng, HM (reprint author), Chinese Acad Sci, Inst Met Res, Shenyang Natl Lab Mat Sci, 72 Wenhua Rd, Shenyang 110016, Peoples R China;cheng@imr.ac.cn
1,935 citations
TL;DR: A general approach to EDLC design leading to the maximum energy density is suggested, which has been now proved for both solvated organic salts and solvent-free liquid electrolytes.
Abstract: The research on electrochemical double layer capacitors (EDLC), also known as supercapacitors or ultracapacitors, is quickly expanding because their power delivery performance fills the gap between dielectric capacitors and traditional batteries. However, many fundamental questions, such as the relations between the pore size of carbon electrodes, ion size of the electrolyte, and the capacitance have not yet been fully answered. We show that the pore size leading to the maximum double-layer capacitance of a TiC-derived carbon electrode in a solvent-free ethyl-methylimmidazolium-bis(trifluoro-methane-sulfonyl)imide (EMI-TFSI) ionic liquid is roughly equal to the ion size (∼0.7 nm). The capacitance values of TiC−CDC produced at 500 °C are more than 160 F/g and 85 F/cm3 at 60 °C, while standard activated carbons with larger pores and a broader pore size distribution present capacitance values lower than 100 F/g and 50 F/cm3 in ionic liquids. A significant drop in capacitance has been observed in pores that w...
1,913 citations
TL;DR: A review of the progress made in the last ten years concerning the synthesis of porous carbon materials is summarized in this paper, where several different routes have been used to synthesize mesoporous carbon materials.
Abstract: In this review, the progress made in the last ten years concerning the synthesis of porous carbon materials is summarized. Porous carbon materials with various pore sizes and pore structures have been synthesized using several different routes. Microporous activated carbons have been synthesized through the activation process. Ordered microporous carbon materials have been synthesized using zeolites as templates. Mesoporous carbons with a disordered pore structure have been synthesized using various methods, including catalytic activation using metal species, carbonization of polymer/polymer blends, carbonization of organic aerogels, and template synthesis using silica nanoparticles. Ordered mesoporous carbons with various pore structures have been synthesized using mesoporous silica materials such as MCM-48, HMS, SBA-15, MCF, and MSU-X as templates. Ordered mesoporous carbons with graphitic pore walls have been synthesized using soft-carbon sources that can be converted to highly ordered graphite at high temperature. Hierarchically ordered mesoporous carbon materials have been synthesized using various designed silica templates. Some of these mesoporous carbon materials have successfully been used as adsorbents for bulky pollutants, as electrodes for supercapacitors and fuel cells, and as hosts for enzyme immobilization. Ordered macroporous carbon materials have been synthesized using colloidal crystals as templates. One-dimensional carbon nanostructured materials have been fabricated using anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) as a template.
1,904 citations
TL;DR: This dense carbon-nanotube material is advantageous for numerous applications, and here it is demonstrated its use as flexible heaters as well as supercapacitor electrodes for compact energy-storage devices.
Abstract: Shape-engineerable and highly densely packed single-walled carbon nanotubes and their application as super-capacitor electrodes
1,851 citations
TL;DR: It appears that nanotubes are a perfect conducting additive and/or support for materials with pseudocapacitance properties, e.g. MnO(2), conducting polymers.
Abstract: The most commonly used electrode materials for electrochemical capacitors are activated carbons, because they are commercially available and cheap, and they can be produced with large specific surface area. However, only the electrochemically available surface area is useful for charging the electrical double layer (EDL). The EDL formation is especially efficient in carbon pores of size below 1 nm because of the lack of space charge and a good attraction of ions along the pore walls. The pore size should ideally match the size of the ions. However, for good dynamic charge propagation, some small mesopores are useful. An asymmetric configuration, where the positive and negative electrodes are constructed from different materials, e.g., activated carbon, transition metal oxide or conducting polymer, is of great interest because of an important extension of the operating voltage. In such a case, the energy as well as power is greatly increased. It appears that nanotubes are a perfect conducting additive and/or support for materials with pseudocapacitance properties, e.g. MnO2, conducting polymers. Substitutional heteroatoms in the carbon network (nitrogen, oxygen) are a promising way to enhance the capacitance. Carbons obtained by one-step pyrolysis of organic precursors rich in heteroatoms (nitrogen and/or oxygen) are very interesting, because they are denser than activated carbons. The application of a novel type of electrolyte with a broad voltage window (ionic liquids) is considered, but the stability of this new generation of electrolyte during long term cycling of capacitors is not yet confirmed.
1,762 citations