Effect of Pore Morphology on the Electrochemical Properties of Electric Double Layer Carbon Cryogel Supercapacitors

Abstract

ABSTRACTIn this study a group of resorcinol-formaldehyde carbon cryogels (CC) have been processed chemically, via catalysis and activation, to obtain varied nanostructures and pore size distributions. To understand the relation between structure and electrochemical properties the capacitor can be studied as a dielectric system composed of a porous electrode and the electrolyte (Tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate in propylene carbonate). Using Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) the complex capacitance and power are used to study the behavior of the system below the relaxation frequency fo (φ = −45°). Therefore, the relaxation of the capacitor system at the low frequency range, f < fo, may be used as a measure of pore/electrolyte interaction. The approach here proposed also allows for a direct experimental characterization of the capacitance and power at low frequencies where small pores are likely to affect the diffusion dynamics of the electrolyte molecules. The results suggest a correlation between the occurrence of small micropores and that of high power losses that are related to the resistive element produced at the low frequency range. Moreover, the impact of the micropore structure upon the supercapacitor's performance is apparent in its capacitance and energy as well. In addition to the complex power and capacitance other measurements including BET Nitrogen sorption, cyclic voltammetry, galvanic cycling and X-Ray Raman Scattering were used to characterize the samples and support these results.