Low Carbon Supercapacitors

Supercapacitors can both hold large amounts of energy and charge up almost instantly. They have higher energy densities, higher efficiencies and longer lifetimes so can be used in a wide range of energy harvesting and storage systems including portable power and grid applications. Despite offering key performance advantages, many device components pose significant environmental hazards, often containing fluorine, sulfur and cyanide groups which are harmful when discarded. In recent years, there has been increasing research into more sustainable electrode materials for supercapacitor applications. In this book, readers are introduced to the extensive and ongoing research on the rationalization of low-carbon supercapacitor materials, their structures at varying scales and dimensions, the development of effective and low-cost synthesis techniques, design and architecture of green materials, as well as clarification of their electrochemical performance. It is an ideal book for researchers and industry professionals at the energy–environment nexus, searching for new advancements in supercapacitor science and technologies.

Advances in Supercapacitor and Supercapattery: Innovations in Energy Storage Devices provides a deep insight into energy storage systems and their applications. The first two chapters cover the detailed background, fundamental charge storage mechanism and the various types of supercapacitor. The third chapter give details about the hybrid device (Supercapattery) which comprises of battery and capacitive electrode. The main advantages of Supercapattery over batteries and supercapacitor are discussed in this chapter. The preceding three chapters cover the electrode materials used for supercapattery. The electrolyte is a major part that significantly contributes to the performance of the device. Therefore, different kinds of electrolytes and their suitability are discussed in chapter 6 and 7. The book concludes with a look at the potential applications of supercapattery, challenges and future prospective. This book is beneficial for research scientists, engineers and students who are interested in the latest developments and fundamentals of energy storage mechanism and clarifies the misleading concepts in this field. Presents the three classes of energy storage devices and clarifies the difference between between pseudocapacitor and battery grade material Covers the synthesis strategies to enhance the overall performance of the supercapacitor device (including power density) Explains the energy storage mechanism based on the fundamental concept of physics and electrochemistry

Supercapacitors are a relatively new energy storage system that provides higher energy density than dielectric capacitors and higher power density than batteries. They are particularly suited to applications that require energy pulses during short periods of time, e.g., seconds or tens of seconds. They are recommended for automobiles, tramways, buses, cranes, fork-lifts, wind turbines, electricity load leveling in stationary and transportation systems, etc. Despite the technological maturity of supercapacitors, there is a lack of comprehensive literature on the topic. Many high performance materials have been developed and new scientific concepts have been introduced. Taking into account the commercial interest in these systems and the new scientific and technological developments now is the ideal time to publish this book, capturing all this new knowledge. The book starts by giving an introduction to the general principles of electrochemistry, the properties of electrochemical capacitors, and electrochemical characterization techniques. Electrical double layer capacitors and pseudocapacitors are then discussed, followed by the various electrolyte systems. Modelling, manufacture of industrial capacitors, constraints, testing, and reliability as well as applications are also covered. 'Supercapacitors - Materials, Systems, and Applications' is part of the series on Materials for Sustainable Energy and Development edited by Prof. G.Q. Max Lu. The series covers advances in materials science and innovation for renewable energy, clean use of fossil energy, and greenhouse gas mitigation and associated environmental technologies.

This book provides an authoritative source of information on the use of nanomaterials to enhance the performance of existing electrochemical energy storage systems and the manners in which new such systems are being made possible. The book covers the state of the art of the design, preparation, and engineering of nanoscale functional materials as effective catalysts and as electrodes for electrochemical energy storage and mechanistic investigation of electrode reactions. It also provides perspectives and challenges for future research. A related book by the same editors is: Nanomaterials for Fuel Cell Catalysis.

Supercapacitors are most interesting in the area of rechargeable battery based energy storage because they offer an unbeatable power density, quick charge/discharge rates and prolonged lifetimes in comparison to batteries. The book covers inorganic, organic and gel-polymer electrolytes, electrodes and separators used in different types of supercapacitors; with emphasis on material synthesis, characterization, fundamental electrochemical properties and most promising applications. Keywords: Supercapacitors, Rechargeable Batteries, Organic Electrolytes, Inorganic Electrolytes, Gel Polymer based Supercapacitors, Redox Electrolytes, Starch-Based Electrolytes, Flexible Supercapacitors, Pseudocapacitors, Carbon Nanoarchitectures for Supercapacitors, Photo-Supercapacitors, Bimetal Oxides/Sulfides for Electrochemical Supercapacitors.

The 21 chapters in this book presents a comprehensive overview of flexible supercapacitors using engineering nanoarchitectures mediated by functional nanomaterials and polymers as electrodes, electrolytes, and separators, etc. for advanced energy applications. The various aspects of flexible supercapacitors, including capacitor electrochemistry, evaluating parameters, operating conditions, characterization techniques, different types of electrodes, electrolytes, and flexible substrates are covered. This is probably the first book of its type which systematically describes the recent developments and progress in flexible supercapacitor technology, and will be very helpful for generating new and innovative ideas in the field of energy storage material for wearable/flexible industry applications.

Carbon materials form pores ranging in size and morphology, from micropores of less than 1nm, to macropores of more than 50nm, and from channel-like spaces with homogenous diameters in carbon nanotubes, to round spaces in various fullerene cages, including irregularly-shaped pores in polycrystalline carbon materials. The large quantity and rapid rate of absorption of various molecules made possible by these attributes of carbon materials are now used in the storage of foreign atoms and ions for energy storage, conversion and adsorption, and for environmental remediation. Porous Carbons: Syntheses and Applications focuses on the fabrication and application of porous carbons. It considers fabrication at three scales: micropores, mesopores, and macropores. Carbon foams, sponges, and 3D-structured carbons are detailed. The title presents applications in four key areas: energy storage, energy conversion, energy adsorption, including batteries, supercapacitors, and fuel cells and environmental remediation, emphasizing the importance of pore structures at the three scales, and the diffusion and storage of various ions and molecules. The book presents a short history of each technique and material, and assesses advantages and disadvantages. This focused book provides researchers with a comprehensive understanding of both pioneering and current synthesis techniques for porous carbons, and their modern applications. Presents modern porous carbon synthesis techniques and modern applications of porous carbons Presents current research on porous carbons in energy storage, conversion and adsorption, and in environmental remediation Provides a history and assessment of both pioneering and current cutting-edge synthesis techniques and materials Covers a significant range of precursor materials, preparation techniques, and characteristics Considers the future development of porous carbons and their various potential applications

Application fields of supercapacitors are expanding because they have a very large charge/discharge current density and a cycle durability of tens of thousands of cycles or more compared to secondary batteries. There are various kinds of supercapacitor: electric double layer capacitors with a relatively long history, pseudocapacitors that utilize electrochemical reactions, and the progress of hybrid capacitor technology that combines double layer capacity and electrochemical reactions. Development of electrode materials and electrolytes and new cell design for constructing devices support the performance improvement and expansion of new applied fields such as automobiles, heavy machinery, and energy harvesting. This book aims to provide engineers with the opportunity to review the latest information by integrating cutting-edge papers on science, technology, and the application of supercapacitors.

Highly porous carbon prepared through sol-gel processing is an excellent electrode material for supercapacitors, also known as electrochemical capacitors, because of its high surface area and pore volume, good conductivity, and low cost. Research has mostly focused on increasing the surface area of the carbon to improve charge storage, but there are limits to how large this value can be while still maintaining good electrochemical performance of the material. Alternatively, carbon can be modified with foreign elements, either in the bulk or on the pore surfaces, to induce pseudocapacitive reactions that can increase capacitance. Modified samples can also be tested at higher working voltages, which significantly increase the energy and power densities. In this work, highly porous carbon is modified with nitrogen and tested as electrodes in supercapacitors. Modification significantly increases the wettability of the carbon, and the capacitance increases with increasing nitrogen added. However, too much nitrogen can cause pore blockage and decrease accessible surface area, limiting the capacitance. Highly porous carbon, both with and without nitrogen on the pore surfaces, is then tested at higher working voltages. Increasing the voltage from 2V to 3V significantly improves both the energy density and power density. Finally, porous carbon was also synthesized from lignin, a complex polymer derived from natural resources and a waste product in the paper industry. Purification removed over half of the impurities and resulted in porous carbon with four times the internal surface area compared to unpurified lignin. When tested in devices, lignin-derived carbon shows promise as low-cost, renewable material for high performance supercapacitors.