Carbon Nanotube Based Robust and Flexible Solid-State Supercapacitor

Chemically Bonded Carbon Nanotubes to Au Films for Robust High-Performance Electrochemical Double-Layer Supercapacitors

As energy storage devices, electrochemical double-layer capacitors (EDLCs) are a potential alternative to traditional batteries owing to their higher charge-discharge capability, higher power density, and longer life span; however, EDLCs typically lack energy density. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs), which have a high surface area and excellent conductivity, are promising for improving the energy density in EDLCs. In this study, an innovative approach was adopted to fabricate CNT-metal electrodes, in which chemical bonds between vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (VACNTs) and Au metal were formed via a linker molecule, resulting in robust, highly electrically conductive CNT-Au bonds without compromising the free-standing nature and quality of the VACNT array. Specifically, VACNT arrays prepared through chemical vapor deposition on an Al2O3/Si substrate were transferred onto Au metal while maintaining their free-standing arrangement. The average resistance at the CNT-Au interface was 0.5 kΩ over an area of 1 nm2, as measured using an atomic force microscopy-based technique. Supercapacitors fabricated using the prepared VACNT-Au electrodes had a specific capacitance of 50 mF cm-2 (9.5 F g-1), thereby outperforming most pure VACNT-based EDLCs. Moreover, these devices exhibited outstanding stability, with 74% capacitance retention after 100,000 charge-discharge cycles.

Overview of recent developments in carbon-based nanocomposites for supercapacitor applications

Energy storage devices are recognized as environmentally friendly technologies. Supercapacitors, known for their high cycle stability, have been proposed as potential alternatives to fossil fuels. Recent studies have focused on selecting suitable electrode materials to achieve energy storage systems with high stability, high specific capacity, and biocompatibility. In particular, carbon-based electrode materials, such as graphene oxide, activated carbon, carbon nanotubes, and carbon-based quantum dots, have attracted considerable attention due to their intrinsic properties, such as high conductivity and stability. However, carbon materials alone exhibit limitations, such as low energy density and low specific capacitance. To address this limitation, the synergistic effect of carbon materials has been combined with other electroactive materials to develop electrode materials with enhanced supercapacitor properties. The present study also investigates the supercapacitor performance of carbon-based nanocomposites. It examines the effect of each carbon material (AC, CNT, GO, rGO) on improving the performance of other electroactive materials, including metal oxides, metal sulfides, MXenes, MOFs, and conductive polymers. This study provides valuable insights for further studies on carbon-based electrode materials for supercapacitor applications.

Manganese Oxide-Doped Hierarchical Porous Carbon Derived from Tea Leaf Waste for High-Performance Supercapacitors

Hierarchical porous carbon derived from discarded biomass for energy storage materials has attracted increasing research attention due to its cost-effectiveness, ease of fabrication, environmental protection, and sustainability. Brewed tea leaves are rich in heteroatoms that are beneficial to capacitive energy storage behavior. Therefore, we synthesized high electrochemical performance carbon-based composites from Tie guan yin tea leaf waste using a facile procedure comprising hydrothermal, chemical activation, and calcination processes. In particular, potassium permanganate (KMnO4) was incorporated into the potassium hydroxide (KOH) activation agent; therefore, during the activation process, KOH continued to erode the biomass precursor, producing abundant pores, and KMnO4 synchronously underwent a redox reaction to form MnO nanoparticles and anchor on the porous carbon through chemical bonding. MnO nanoparticles provided additional pseudocapacitive charge storage capabilities through redox reactions. The results show that the amount of MnO produced is proportional to the amount of KMnO4 incorporated. However, the specific surface area of the composite material decreases with the incorporated amount of KMnO4 due to the accumulation and aggregation of MnO nanoparticles, thereby even blocking some micropores. Optimization of MnO nanocrystal loading can promote the crystallinity and graphitization degree of carbonaceous materials. The specimen prepared with a weight ratio of KMnO4 to hydrochar of 0.02 exhibited a high capacitance of 337 F/g, an increase of 70%, owing to the synergistic effect between the Tie guan yin tea leaf-derived activated carbon and MnO nanoparticles. With this facile preparation method and the resulting high electrochemical performance, the development of manganese oxide/carbon composites derived from tea leaf biomass is expected to become a promising candidate as an energy storage material for supercapacitors.

Transition of Carbon Nanotube Sheets from Hydrophobicity to Hydrophilicity by Facile Electrochemical Wetting

The present study delves into the transformative effects of electrochemical oxidation on the hydrophobic-to-hydrophilic transition of carbon nanotube (CNT) sheets. The paper elucidates the inherent advantages of CNT sheets, such as high electrical conductivity and mechanical strength, and contrasts them with the limitations posed by their hydrophobic nature. A comprehensive investigation is conducted to demonstrate the efficacy of electrochemical oxidation treatment in modifying the surface properties of CNT sheets, thereby making them hydrophilic. The study reveals that the treatment not only is cost-effective and time-efficient compared to traditional plasma treatment methods but also results in a significant decrease in water contact angle. Mechanistic insights into the hydrophilic transition are provided, emphasizing the role of oxygen-containing functional groups introduced during the electrochemical oxidation process.

Preparation and Characterization of Physically Activated Carbon and Its Energetic Application for All-Solid-State Supercapacitors: A Case Study

Biomass-derived activated carbons have gained significant attention as electrode materials for supercapacitors (SCs) due to their renewability, low-cost, and ready availability. In this work, we have derived physically activated carbon from date seed biomass as symmetric electrodes and PVA/KOH has been used as a gel polymer electrolyte for all-solid-state SCs. Initially, the date seed biomass was carbonized at 600 °C (C-600) and then it was used to obtain physically activated carbon through CO₂ activation at 850 °C (C-850). The SEM and TEM images of C-850 displayed its porous, flaky, and multilayer type morphologies. The fabricated electrodes from C-850 with PVA/KOH electrolytes showed the best electrochemical performances in SCs (Lu et al. Energy Environ. Sci., 2014, 7, 2160) application. Cyclic voltammetry was performed from 5 to 100 mV s^-1, illustrating an electric double layer behavior. The C-850 electrode delivered a specific capacitance of 138.12 F g^-1 at 5 mV s^-1, whereas it retained 16 F g^-1 capacitance at 100 mV s^-1. Our assembled all-solid-state SCs exhibit an energy density of 9.6 Wh kg^-1 with a power density of 87.86 W kg^-1. The internal and charge transfer resistances of the assembled SCs were 0.54 and 17.86 Ω, respectively. These innovative findings provide a universal and KOH-free activation process for the synthesis of physically activated carbon for all solid-state SCs applications.