Solid-polymer electrolytes based on perfluorinated sulfonic acid (PFSA) are suitable materials to be used in the development of more compact, safer and flexible solid-state supercapacitors. For this reason we investigated two different polymer electrolytes and fabricated supercapacitors containing these materials in the electrodes and membranes. The two commercial electrolyte membranes were the Nafion 115 produced by DuPont and the Fumapem F-950 of FuMA-Tech GmbH. The polymers were also available in the form of electrolyte solutions. Thus, two electrodes were prepared by mixing an activated carbon (Norit A supra Eur) with a 5 wt% of Nafion solution by Aldrich, for the first one, and with a Fumion FLD1020 solution obtained from FuMA-Tech GmbH (Germany), for the second one. With these materials, electrodes and membranes, a series of four solid-polymer supercapacitors were assembled: 1)Electrode with Nafion/Nafion membrane/Electrode with Nafion (EN/N/EN) 2)Electrode with Nafion/Fumapem membrane / Electrode with Nafion (EN/F/EN) 3)Electrode with Fumion/Nafion membrane / Electrode with Fumion (EF/N/EF) 4)Electrode with Fumion/Fumapem membrane / Electrode with Fumion (EF/F/EF) The supercapacitors were realized in symmetric configuration, i.e., in which the two electrodes had the same loading of activated carbon material and the same kind of polymer electrolyte. The results of impedance analysis, cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge/discharge evidenced that the supercapacitor, EN/N/EN, with Nafion in the electrolyte membrane and as binder/ion conductor in the electrodes, exhibited the highest electrochemical performances. In particular, this solid-polymer supercapacitor showed a specific capacitance of 115 F g-1 (see also Fig. 1) and a low resistance of 0.31 ohm cm2. All the other investigated solid state supercapacitors showed slight higher resistances and lower electrochemical performances. The best Nafion based capacitor may offer great promise in the application of solid-flexible supercapacitors, especially considering the low electric series resistance (ESR =0.31 ohm cm2) achieved by this supercapacitor.
Study of the performance of flexible supercapacitors based on activated carbon and polymer electrolytes
Gaetano Squadrito;Francesco Lufrano;Antonino Brigandì;Pietro Staiti
2016
Abstract
Solid-polymer electrolytes based on perfluorinated sulfonic acid (PFSA) are suitable materials to be used in the development of more compact, safer and flexible solid-state supercapacitors. For this reason we investigated two different polymer electrolytes and fabricated supercapacitors containing these materials in the electrodes and membranes. The two commercial electrolyte membranes were the Nafion 115 produced by DuPont and the Fumapem F-950 of FuMA-Tech GmbH. The polymers were also available in the form of electrolyte solutions. Thus, two electrodes were prepared by mixing an activated carbon (Norit A supra Eur) with a 5 wt% of Nafion solution by Aldrich, for the first one, and with a Fumion FLD1020 solution obtained from FuMA-Tech GmbH (Germany), for the second one. With these materials, electrodes and membranes, a series of four solid-polymer supercapacitors were assembled: 1)Electrode with Nafion/Nafion membrane/Electrode with Nafion (EN/N/EN) 2)Electrode with Nafion/Fumapem membrane / Electrode with Nafion (EN/F/EN) 3)Electrode with Fumion/Nafion membrane / Electrode with Fumion (EF/N/EF) 4)Electrode with Fumion/Fumapem membrane / Electrode with Fumion (EF/F/EF) The supercapacitors were realized in symmetric configuration, i.e., in which the two electrodes had the same loading of activated carbon material and the same kind of polymer electrolyte. The results of impedance analysis, cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge/discharge evidenced that the supercapacitor, EN/N/EN, with Nafion in the electrolyte membrane and as binder/ion conductor in the electrodes, exhibited the highest electrochemical performances. In particular, this solid-polymer supercapacitor showed a specific capacitance of 115 F g-1 (see also Fig. 1) and a low resistance of 0.31 ohm cm2. All the other investigated solid state supercapacitors showed slight higher resistances and lower electrochemical performances. The best Nafion based capacitor may offer great promise in the application of solid-flexible supercapacitors, especially considering the low electric series resistance (ESR =0.31 ohm cm2) achieved by this supercapacitor.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
