A New Generation of Nanocomposite Materials Based on Carbon and Titanium for Use in Supercapacitor Energy Storage Devices

Abstract

In this paper, promising nanocomposite materials based on carbon and titanium are considered. It is shown that the use of a highly porous matrix is of particular interest. Materials based on such matrices have minimal weight and high strength characteristics. The paper also describes composites based on porous carbon fibers with metal oxides. The directions for producing composites can be divided into three types: matrix method, coating of finished nanoparticles with an inert shell, and the formation of nanoparticles and matrices in one process. The coating of nanoparticles with an inert shell prevents their oxidation and preserves the necessary magnetic properties. When using methods such as IR pyrolysis, arc evaporation third-party metal-carbon phases are formed that contaminate the resulting material. To avoid this, reducing agents are used, for example, hydrogen when coking nanoparticles in methane plasma current restores metal particles from its sol-gel and prevents them from reacting with carbon. However, with this method, it is difficult to control the particle size. Using a ready-made matrix allows us to control the size of the nanoparticles. However, this method uses high temperatures, and sometimes hydrogen, which complicates the production process. The main problem in the field of nanocomposites is the search for more technological, simple, cheap, and environmentally friendly methods for obtaining nanocomposites with high performance characteristics. The developed technology for forming the pore space of the initial carbon matrix does not have the above disadvantages. This technology has a simple, cheap, and environmentally friendly design; moreover high temperatures are not used in the process of producing nanocomposites and third-party metal-carbon phases are not formed. The resulting nanocomposite materials are used as electrodes for ultra-high-volume capacitor structures. When studying the capacitance and electrical characteristics of samples, it is found that the formation of metal on a porous carbon matrix can significantly reduce the internal resistance of the cell and increase the specific energy consumption.