(323e) Hybrid Polymer-Carbon Composite Electrodes for High-Energy Density Supercapacitor Electrodes

A shift in how we generate and use electricity requires new energy storage materials and systems compatible with hybrid electric transportation and the integration of renewable energy sources. Supercapacitors provide a solution to these needs by combining the high power, rapid switching, and exceptional cycle life of a capacitor with the high energy density of a battery. Our research brings together nanotechnology and materials chemistry to address the limitations of electrode materials. Paper electrodes fabricated with various forms of carbon nanomaterials, such as nanotubes and nanoparticles are modified with various types of redox-polymers to increase the electrodes’ energy density while maintaining rapid discharge rates.

In these systems, the carbon nanomaterials provide the high surface area, electrical conductivity, nanoscale and porosity, while the redox polymers provide a mechanism for charge storage through Faradaic charge transfer. The design of redox polymers and their incorporation into nanomaterial electrodes will be discussed with a focus on enabling high power and high energy density electrodes. The use of high-surface area carbon nanomaterials enables redox electrode development using non-conductive, but high-charge capacity redox polymers. Our fabrication approach, which is based on a high-throughput nanotube filtration process or CVD growth process, is amenable to low-cost electrode manufacture. Composite material design is explored using redox polymers synthesized into or adsorbed on the surface of carbon nanomaterials with a variety of electroactive polymers.