Nanoimprint lithography of nanoporous carbon materials for micro-supercapacitor architectures

Abstract

Nanoimprint lithography is proposed as a highly versatile method for the production of nanostructured supercapacitors (micro-supercapacitors, MSC). Liquid sucrose- and lignin-precursor printing produces patterns with high quality and a line width down to 500 nm. The liquid-carbon-precursor NIL-printing approach enables nitrogen doping to achieve an increased supercapacitor performance for aqueous electrolytes (Li₂SO₄). The lines are interconverted into nanoporous carbon materials (d ≈ 1 nm) with high specific surface area (>1000 m² g⁻¹) to form stable structures reaching specific resistivities as low as ρ = 3.5 × 10⁻⁵ Ωm and capacitances up to 7 F cm⁻³.