Microporous carbons finely-tuned by cyclic high-pressure low-temperature oxidation and their use in electrochemical capacitors

Microporous carbons with a finely controlled porosity have been prepared from non-porous chars by cyclic oxidation/thermal desorption and further used in supercapacitor electrodes working in organic medium. The described activation method is shown to be effective for at least two types of non-porous carbons derived from sucrose and cellulose. The low temperature oxidation is realized by H2O2 at 200 degrees C and followed by thermal desorption of the surface functional groups at 900 degrees C under nitrogen flow. The porosity-forming procedure involves 4-5 oxidation/decomposition cycles, thus allowing a gradual adjustment of average pore size to that of ions making up the standard organic electrolyte -1 mol L-1 TEA(+) BF4- in acetonitrile. The build-up of pore volume during the initial cycles proceeds essentially through the opening/formation and deepening of narrow micropores (L-o approximate to 0.8 nm), whereas a slight pore widening appears to be the main outcome of further cycles. Due to the low burn-off of the overall process, the carbons are shown to form much denser coatings (0.71 g cm(-3)) than a steam-activated carbon used in industrial supercapacitors (0.52 g cm(-3)). (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.