Enhanced capacitive performance by improving the graphitized structure in carbon aerogel microspheres

Xichuan Liu; Lei Yuan; Minglong Zhong; Shuang Ni; Fan Yang; Zhibing Fu; Xibin Xu; Chaoyang Wang; Yongjian Tang

doi:10.1039/d0ra01735c

Enhanced capacitive performance by improving the graphitized structure in carbon aerogel microspheres

RSC Adv. 2020 Jun 10;10(37):22242-22249. doi: 10.1039/d0ra01735c. eCollection 2020 Jun 8.

Authors

Xichuan Liu^{1

2}, Lei Yuan¹, Minglong Zhong¹, Shuang Ni¹, Fan Yang¹, Zhibing Fu¹, Xibin Xu¹, Chaoyang Wang¹, Yongjian Tang^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Science and Technology on Plasma Physics Laboratory, Research Centre of Laser Fusion, China Academy of Engineering Physics Mianyang 619000 China wangchy807@caep.cn tangyongjian2000@sina.com +8608162480862 +8608162480867.
² Shanghai EBIT Lab, Key Laboratory of Nuclear Physics and Ion-beam Application, Institute of Modern Physics, Department of Nuclear Science and Technology, Fudan University Shanghai 200433 China.

Abstract

Herein, good electrical conductivity and high specific surface area carbon aerogel (CA) microspheres were synthesized by a facile and economical route using a high temperature carbonization and CO₂ activation method. The electroconductive graphitized structure of the CA microspheres could be easily improved by increasing the carbonization temperature. Then the CA microspheres were activated with CO₂ to increase the specific surface area of the electrode material for electric double layer capacitors (EDLC). The sample carbonized at 1500 °C for 0.5 h and CO₂ activated at 950 °C for 8 h showed an acceptable specific surface area and excellent cycle performance and rate capability for EDLC: 98% of the initial value of the capacitance was retained after 10 000 cycles, a specific capacitance of 121 F g^-1 at 0.2 A g^-1 and 101 F g^-1 at 2 A g^-1.