SBIR Phase I: High Performance Electrochemical Capacitor Using Carbide-Derived Carbon Nanomaterial Electrodes

SBIR第一阶段研究计划将开发纳米多孔碳化物衍生碳电极，以提高超级电容器的性能。与电池相比，当前超级电容器的高功率充电/放电速率被低存储容量抵消。活性炭超级电容器电极的电容部分地受到由有机前体的常规合成产生的孔的大直径和宽尺寸分布的限制。这一提议将开发一种新的方法来生产纳米多孔碳与窄分布的孔小于2 nm的直径。金属原子从金属碳化物晶格中被化学蚀刻，仅留下碳，其孔径可以通过改变碳化物前体或蚀刻条件以埃精度进行调节。虽然使用金属碳化物晶格作为多孔碳的模板允许精确控制孔径，但孔体积受到碳化物晶格中每单位体积的碳原子数的限制。增加孔的体积和比表面积而不显著加宽孔径分布将导致电容的显著增加。由于它们的长寿命和快速供电，超级电容器在许多应用中正在取代或补充电池和燃料电池。先进的超级电容器将用于快速过程的能量收集和电能存储，促进替代能源的电能生产和使用。该奖项由2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助。

This SBIR Phase I research proposal will develop nano-porous carbide-derived carbon electrodes for improved super-capacitor performance. The high power charge/discharge rate of current super-capacitors is offset by a low storage capacity compared to batteries. The capacitance of activated carbon super-capacitor electrodes is partially limited by the large diameter and wide size distribution of pores resulting from conventional synthesis from organic precursors. This proposal will develop a novel method to produce nano-porous carbon with a narrow distribution of pores less than 2 nm in diameter. Metal atoms are chemically etched from a metal carbide lattice, leaving only carbon, the pore size of which can be tuned with Angstrom precision by varying the carbide precursor or etching conditions. While the use of a metal carbide lattice as a template for porous carbon allows precise control over the pore size, the pore volume is limited by the number of carbon atoms per unit of volume in the carbide lattice. Increasing the volume of pores and specific surface area without substantial broadening of the pore size distribution would lead to a significant increase in capacitance. Because of their long life and rapid power delivery, super-capacitors are replacing or supplementing batteries and fuel cells in many applications. Advanced super-capacitors will be used for energy harvesting from fast processes and for storage of electrical energy, facilitating the production and use of electrical energy from alternative sources.This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).