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

这项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放电速率被较低的存储容量所抵消。传统的以有机前驱体为原料合成的活性碳超级电容器电极，由于孔径大、孔径分布广，其电容受到一定的限制。这一提议将开发一种新的方法来制备孔径小于2 nm的孔分布窄的纳米多孔碳。金属原子是从金属碳化物晶格中化学蚀刻出来的，只剩下碳，其孔径大小可以通过改变碳化物前体或蚀刻条件以埃斯特罗姆精度进行调整。虽然使用金属碳化物晶格作为多孔碳的模板可以精确控制孔的大小，但孔体积受到碳化物晶格中单位体积的碳原子数量的限制。增加孔的体积和比表面积而不显著地展宽孔的尺寸分布将导致电容的显著增加。超级电容器因其长寿命和快速送电，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从快速过程中收集能量和存储电能，促进从替代来源生产和使用电能。该奖项由2009年《美国复苏和再投资法案》(公共法律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).