Synthesis and Electrochemical Performance of Ni/Ordered Mesoporous Carbon Composites with High Surface Areas

Abstract

Ni/ordered mesoporous carbon composites with high surface areas were successfully fabricated via a facile one-step template method using the self-assembly of phenolic resin and triblock copolymers (F127) under acidic condition, tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) as a structural strengthening agent, carbamide as an additive and nickel as catalyst. Transmission electron microscope, small-angle X-ray diffraction and N2 sorption analysis demonstrate that Ni/ordered mesoporous carbon composites have a 2D hexagonal ordered mesostructure, which couples with uniform mesopores (about 5.3 nm). Maximum specific surface area and pore volume can be up to 2800 m2/g and 3.80 cm3/g respectively after carbonization at 850°C, and all BET surface areas result from mesopores. Wide-angle X-ray diffraction patterns illustrate that the presence of Ni catalyst and an obvious enhancement of graphitic degree in the skeleton structure. Electrochemical measurements performed on Ni/ordered mesoporous carbon composites display that cyclic voltammetry curves present as approximately rectangular at different scanning rates, including 100 mV/s, and the samples display large capacitance (210 F/g) in KOH electrolyte. The findings above indicate that Ni/ordered mesoporous carbon composites can be used as electrode material for an electrochemical double layer capacitor.