Synthesis and electrochemical properties of activated carbons and Li4Ti5O12 as electrode materials for supercapacitors

Abstract

New activated nanoporous carbons, produced by carbonization of mixtures of coal tar pitch and furfural with subsequent steam activation, as well as electrochemically active oxide Li4Ti5O12, prepared by thermal co-decomposition of oxalates, were tested and characterized as electrode materials for electrochemical supercapacitors. The phase composition, microstructure, surface morphology and porous structure of the materials were studied. Pure carbon electrodes as well as composite electrodes based on these materials obtained were fabricated. Two types of supercapacitor (SC) cells were assembled and subjected to charge–discharge cycling study at different current rates: (1) symmetric sandwich-type SC cells with identical activated carbon electrodes and different organic electrolytes, and (2) asymmetric hybrid SC cell composed by activated graphitized carbon as a negative electrode and activated carbon–Li4Ti5O12 oxide composite as a positive electrode, and an organic electrolyte (LiPF6–dimethyl carbonate/ethylene carbonate (DMC/EC). Four types of carbons with different specific surface area (1,000–1,600 m2 g−1) and texture parameters, as well as three types of organic electrolytes: Et4NBF4–propylene carbonate (PC), LiBF4–PC and LiPF6–DMC/EC in the symmetric SC cell, were tested and compared with each other. Capacitance value up to 70 F g−1 for the symmetric SC, depending on the electrolyte microstructure and conductivity of the carbon material used, and capacitance of about 150 F g−1 for the asymmetric SC cell, with good cycleability for both supercapacitor systems, were obtained.