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Updated: May 23, 2026

Synthesis of Ionic Liquid Based Electrolytes, Assembly of Li-ion Batteries, and Measurements of Performance at High Temperature
Published on: December 20, 2016
Variation of electrochemical capacitor performance with Room Temperature Ionic Liquid electrolyte viscosity and ion
Fiona B Sillars1, S Isobel Fletcher, Mojtaba Mirzaeian
1Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G1 1XJ, Scotland, UK.
Abstract:
The use of Room Temperature Ionic Liquid (RTIL) electrolytes promises to improve the energy density of Electrochemical Capacitors (ECs) by allowing for operation at higher voltages. RTIL electrolytes 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (EMImBF(4)), 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium dicyanamide (EMImN(CN)(2)), 1,2-dimethyl-3-propylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (DMPImTFSI), and 1-butyl-3-methylpyrrolidinium tris(pentafluoroethyl)trifluorophosphate (BMPyFAP) were studied. Tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate 1 molar solution in anhydrous propylene carbonate (Et(4)NBF(4)-PC 1M) was studied for comparison purposes. Carbon was produced from phenolic resin activated in CO(2). The porosity of the carbon samples were characterised by N(2) adsorption-desorption at 77 K and the relevant electrochemical behaviour was characterised by galvanostatic charge-discharge, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. The highest operating voltage of 3.5 V was obtained for BMPyFAP, whilst the best capacitive performance was obtained for EMImBF(4). The maximum energy density increased to 70 Wh kg(-1) (carbon) for RTIL EMImBF(4) from 35 Wh kg(-1)(carbon) for the organic electrolyte Et(4)NBF(4)-PC 1M. It was found that the performance of the RTIL electrolytes could be related to the IL viscosity and ion size whilst the electrolyte equivalent series resistances produced a linear relationship with viscosity. It was found that the capacitance performance of the RTIL electrolytes followed the order EMImBF(4) > DMPImTFSI > BMPyFAP > EMImN(CN)(2). The electrolyte and equivalent series resistance were in the order EMImN(CN)(2) < EMImBF(4) < DMPImTFSI < BMPyFAP.
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