Studies on preparation and performances of carbon aerogel electrodes for the application of supercapacitor

• Published in: Journal of power sources Vol. 158; no. 1; pp. 784 - 788
• Main Authors: Li, Jun, Wang, Xianyou, Huang, Qinghua, Gamboa, Sergio, Sebastian, P.J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Elsevier B.V 01-07-2006; Elsevier Sequoia
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Capacitors. Resistors. Filters; Carbon aerogel; Electrical engineering. Electrical power engineering; Electrode material; Exact sciences and technology; Specific capacitance; Supercapacitor; Various equipment and components; Supercapacitor; Specific capacitance; Electrode material; Carbon aerogel; Measurement; Service life; Amorphous material; Scanning electron microscopy; Carbon electrode; Physical properties; Discharge charge cycle; Cyclic voltammetry; Activated carbon; Preparation; Capacitance; Sodium carbonate; X ray diffractometry; Performance; Catalyst
• ISSN: 0378-7753; 1873-2755
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2005.09.045

Carbon aerogel was prepared by the polycondensation of resorcinol (
R) with formaldehyde (
F), and sodium carbonate was added as a catalyst (
C). Physical properties of carbon aerogel were characterized by infrared spectrometer (IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It is found that carbon aerogel is an amorphous material with a pearly network structure, and it consists of one or two diffuse X-ray peaks. The results of cyclic voltammetry indicated that the specific capacitance of a carbon aerogel electrode in 6
M KOH electrolyte was approximately 110.06
F
g
−1. Through the galvanostatic charge/discharge measurement, it was found that the electrode is stable in KOH electrolyte, the maximum capacitance of the supercapacitor with carbon aerogel as the electrode active material was 28
F
g
−1. Besides, the supercapacitor has long cycle life. Thus, it was thought that the carbon aerogel is an excellent electrode material for a supercapcitor.