How chemical defects influence the charging of nanoporous carbon supercapacitors

Ion desolvation and confinement are key physical processes in porous carbon-based supercapacitors undergoing charging and discharging cycles. We investigate electrolyte interactions between polarized porous carbon with subnanometer pore sizes and aqueous sodium chloride electrolyte, using molecular dynamics. Inspired by recent first-principles calculations, we develop a scheme accounting for chemical defects in electrodes where only the non-sp2 carbons species carry an extra negative charge (on the anode) and an extra positive charge (on the cathode) due to voltage polarization. This drives electrolyte species (ions and solvent molecules; water, in this work) to adsorb at the electrode surface and in subnanometric pores upon polarization. First, we observe an asymmetrical desolvation process of sodium and chloride ions at the external surface of the electrodes. The ionic distribution at the external surface of the electrodes is consistent with the Debye-Huckel electric potential equation and empirical trends observed for nonporous electrodes. In a second stage, we demonstrate that the nanoporosity of the electrodes is filled with ions and scarce water molecules and contributes to about 20% of the overall capacitance. A fraction of desolvated ions are irreversibly trapped in the core of electrodes during discharge. While maintaining the overall electroneutrality of the simulation cell, we find that anodes and cathodes do not carry the same amount of ions at all time steps, leading to charge imbalance.

Automated summary

Ion desolvation and confinement processes in porous carbon-based supercapacitors undergoing charging and discharging cycles were investigated. It was found that electrolyte species adsorb at the electrode surface and in subnanometric pores. The nanoporosity of the electrodes is filled with ions and scarce water molecules, contributing to about 20% of the overall capacitance. Some desolvated ions are irreversibly trapped in the core of electrodes during discharge. Anodes and cathodes do not carry the same amount of ions at all time steps, leading to charge imbalance.