Transforming Supercapacitors by using Metal-Organic Framework Electrodes

超级电容器是高功率储能设备，可以在更可持续的未来补充电池。然而，所使用的多孔碳电极的无序结构阻碍了超级电容器的改进。迄今为止，将电极结构与（i）超级电容器性能和（ii）分子充电机制相关联是非常具有挑战性的，使得设计改进的装置非常困难。具有良好限定的多孔结构的导电金属有机框架（MOF）电极的出现为解决这些挑战提供了极好的机会。我们将首次使用MOFs作为模型电极系统来改变我们对超级电容器的理解。SUPERMOFS的首要目标是将电极结构与超级电容器的分子充电机制和性能联系起来。为了实现这一目标，1。我们将合成一系列MOF电极，其中孔径，表面官能团和颗粒形态是不同的。对一系列超级电容器的电化学测量将揭示这些结构特征对储能容量和充电速率的影响。我们使用结构明确的电极将导致对电极结构如何决定超级电容器性能的前所未有的见解。使用我们的一系列MOFs，我们将首次揭示电极结构如何决定超级电容器的分子充电机制。我们将开发新的原位核磁共振（NMR）光谱，用于研究MOF超级电容器，以确定分子充电机制（离子吸附，离子交换等），以及不同电池电压下的离子扩散速率。这些研究将在电极结构和电容性能之间建立一座机械桥梁。总的来说，这个项目将改变我们对超级电容器如何工作的理解，并将直接导致改进的超级电容器。

Supercapacitors are high power energy storage devices that can complement batteries in a more sustainable future. However, the improvement of supercapacitors is hindered by the disordered structures of the porous carbon electrodes that are used. To date, it has been very challenging to correlate electrode structure with (i) supercapacitor performance, and (ii) the molecular charging mechanism, making it very difficult to design improved devices. The emergence of conducting metal-organic framework (MOF) electrodes with well-defined porous structures provides an excellent opportunity to address these challenges. For the first time, we will use MOFs as model electrode systems to transform our understanding of supercapacitors.The overarching objective of SUPERMOFS is to correlate electrode structure with the molecular charging mechanism and performance of supercapacitors. To achieve this goal;1. We will synthesise a series of MOF electrodes where the pore size, surface functional groups, and particle morphologies are varied. Electrochemical measurements on a series of supercapacitors will then reveal the impact of these structural features on energy storage capacities and charging rates. Our use of structurally well-defined electrodes will lead to unprecedented insights into how electrode structure determines supercapacitor performance.2. Using our series of MOFs, we will reveal how electrode structure determines the molecular charging mechanisms of supercapacitors for the first time. We will develop new in situ nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy for studying MOF supercapacitors to determine molecular charging mechanisms (ion adsorption, ion exchange etc.), as well as ionic diffusion rates at different cell voltages. These studies will forge a mechanistic bridge between electrode structure and capacitive performance.Overall, this project will transform our understanding of how supercapacitors work, and will directly lead to improved supercapacitors.