Issue 13, 2021

Robust, flexible, freestanding and high surface area activated carbon and multi-walled carbon nanotubes composite material with outstanding electrode properties for aqueous-based supercapacitors

Abstract

We report on multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and an activated carbon (AC) composite material as an electrode for electrical double-layer capacitors (EDLCs). Material flexibility, robustness, and electrical conductivity are features that come from the MWCNTs, while a high specific surface area is an AC's intrinsic property. We prepared different MWCNT : AC ratios in solutions, which were filtered to form a buckypaper. We investigated the specific capacitance, equivalent series resistance, working voltage window (WVW), and the specific energy and power. The best electrochemical findings were obtained for the MWCNT : AC ratio of 1 : 3 with a specific capacitance reaching the theoretical limit. A high working voltage window of 1.4 V was verified in aqueous solution. Simultaneously, the symmetric cells were able to cycle for more than one million cycles in fast charge–discharge galvanostatic tests with 93% capacitance retention. Finally, the main criticism regarding the self-supported electrode materials is the difficulty of welding. In this sense, we presented a particular welding process as proof of concept for electrode scalability. Overall, this novel electrode material exhibits a set of exciting properties, which we now tested in EDLCs.

Graphical abstract: Robust, flexible, freestanding and high surface area activated carbon and multi-walled carbon nanotubes composite material with outstanding electrode properties for aqueous-based supercapacitors

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
10 oct. 2020
Accepted
29 mar. 2021
First published
30 mar. 2021
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

Mater. Adv., 2021,2, 4264-4276

Robust, flexible, freestanding and high surface area activated carbon and multi-walled carbon nanotubes composite material with outstanding electrode properties for aqueous-based supercapacitors

B. Freitas, W. G. Nunes, D. M. Soares, F. C. Rufino, C. M. Moreira, L. M. Da Silva and H. Zanin, Mater. Adv., 2021, 2, 4264 DOI: 10.1039/D0MA00783H

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