Piperidinium ionic liquids as electrolyte solvents for sustained high temperature supercapacitor operation

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• Ionic liquids (ILs) are promising electrolytes for electrochemical devices due to their unique properties.
• However, their application in high-temperature energy storage is limited by thermal stability and flammability concerns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize novel non-flammable, thermally stable alkyl ether piperidinium ionic liquid electrolytes.
• To evaluate the performance of these IL electrolytes in lithium-ion supercapacitors at elevated temperatures.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of alkyl ether piperidinium-based ionic liquids.
• Physicochemical property characterization (thermal stability, non-flammability).
• Electrochemical performance testing of lithium-ion supercapacitors using the synthesized ILs at 100 °C.

Main Results:

• Successfully synthesized a series of non-flammable, thermally stable piperidinium ionic liquid electrolytes.
• The piperidinium-based electrolyte demonstrated superior performance in a lithium-ion supercapacitor at 100 °C compared to a standard carbonate-based electrolyte.
• The IL electrolyte exhibited enhanced cycling stability and rate capability at the elevated temperature.

Conclusions:

• Alkyl ether piperidinium ionic liquids are viable electrolytes for high-temperature energy storage applications.
• These novel ILs offer a safer and more efficient alternative to conventional electrolytes for lithium-ion supercapacitors operating at 100 °C.