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Ether-Bond-Containing Ionic Liquids as Supercapacitor Electrolytes.
Anthony J R Rennie1, Nédher Sanchez-Ramirez2, Roberto M Torresi2
1Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield , Sheffield S1 3JD, United Kingdom.
The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters
|June 13, 2014
Summary
Ionic liquids with ether bonds in electrochemical capacitors significantly boost energy storage. These modified electrolytes enhance specific capacitance and lower device resistance for better power density.
Area of Science:
- Electrochemistry
- Materials Science
- Energy Storage
Background:
- Electrochemical capacitors (ECs) are vital for energy storage, particularly for applications with high peak power demands.
- Ionic liquids (ILs) improve EC energy density but can reduce power density due to viscosity and conductivity issues.
- Mesoporous carbon electrodes are commonly used in ECs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of ether bonds in ionic liquid cations on the performance of electrochemical capacitors.
- To compare ILs with ether bonds to similar ILs lacking them.
- To determine if ether bonds can mitigate the negative effects of IL viscosity on EC performance.
Main Methods:
- Synthesized and characterized various ionic liquids with differing cation structures, including those with ether bonds.
- Assembled electrochemical capacitor cells using mesoporous carbon electrodes and the synthesized ILs.
- Employed electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and constant current cycling to evaluate device performance.
Main Results:
- Ionic liquids containing an ether bond in the alkyl side chain demonstrated significantly increased specific capacitance compared to ILs with purely alkyl side chains.
- The presence of ether bonds led to a notable reduction in device resistance.
- Electrochemical performance of ECs was enhanced by ILs with ether-containing cations.
Conclusions:
- Incorporating ether bonds into ionic liquid cations is an effective strategy to enhance the electrochemical performance of ECs.
- Tailoring IL structure, specifically through ether linkages, can optimize both energy and power density in electrochemical capacitors.
- These findings offer a pathway for designing advanced electrolytes for high-performance energy storage devices.
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