Stable ionic-liquid-based symmetric supercapacitors from Capsicum seed-porous carbons
Artikel i vetenskaplig tidskrift, 2019

In this study, a symmetric ionic-liquid based supercapacitor was assembled with porous carbon derived from Capsicum (bell pepper) seeds. The “peppered”-activated carbon (ppAC) was synthesized using varying amounts of KHCO 3 activating agent (AA) at 850 °C carbonization temperature. The best device performance reported was recorded with optimum amounts of AA to raw material. The need for less amount of AA is crucial if the entire activation/carbonization process is to be scaled-up with the cost and final product yield also being important for a viable synthesis. A mechanism of saturation of pores with unreacted AA which leads to lower porosity metrics in the samples with increasing the amount of AA during carbonization/activation was also proposed. Using an ionic liquid electrolyte, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bistrifluorosulfonylimide (EMIM-TFSI), the ppAC-based supercapacitor operated up to a maximum cell voltage of 3.20 V. A specific energy of 37 Wh kg −1 was obtainable with a corresponding practical power density of 0.6 kW kg −1 at 0.5 A g −1 . A specific energy of ∼26 Wh kg −1 was still achievable when the applied current was doubled to 1.0 A g −1 and a high cyclic stability (approx. 99% coulombic efficiency) was proven over 25,000 cycles. Further ageing test performed on the device revealed a remarkable improvement in the electrochemical performance after a 180 h (ca. 1 week) floating time. The obtained results also confirmed a uniquely distributed porous carbon in which the complete utilization of the entire less-corrosive KHCO 3 AA for optimal pore activation at elevated carbonization temperatures. Thus, the efficient design combinations for stable, high-energy and power ionic liquid-based supercapacitors with cheaper biomass-based materials are demonstrated.

Ionic electrolyte

Cyclic stability

Nanoporous carbons

High specific energy

Biomass waste

Författare

Damilola Momodu

Universiteit van Pretoria

Ndeye Fatou Sylla

Universiteit van Pretoria

Bridget Mutuma

Universiteit van Pretoria

Abdulhakeem Bello

African University of Science and Technology (AUST)

Universiteit van Pretoria

Tshifhiwa Masikhwa

Universiteit van Pretoria

Simon Lindberg

Chalmers, Fysik, Subatomär fysik och plasmafysik

Aleksandar Matic

Chalmers, Fysik, Materialfysik

Ncholu Manyala

Universiteit van Pretoria

Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry

1572-6657 (ISSN)

Vol. 838 119-128

Ämneskategorier

Kemiska processer

Materialkemi

Annan kemiteknik

Annan fysik

DOI

10.1016/j.jelechem.2019.02.045

Mer information

Senast uppdaterat

2022-04-06