Optimizing oxygen substituents of a carbon cathode for improved capacitive behavior in ethanol-based zinc-ion capacitors

YUAN Ping; XIAO Hao-ming; LI Jun-yi; LUO Jun-hui; LUO Xian-you; CHEN Da-ming; LI De; CHEN Yong

doi:10.1016/S1872-5805(23)60733-4

Volume 38 Issue 3

Jun. 2023

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Article Navigation > New Carbon Mater. > 2023 > 38(3): 522-533

YUAN Ping, XIAO Hao-ming, LI Jun-yi, LUO Jun-hui, LUO Xian-you, CHEN Da-ming, LI De, CHEN Yong. Optimizing oxygen substituents of a carbon cathode for improved capacitive behavior in ethanol-based zinc-ion capacitors. New Carbon Mater., 2023, 38(3): 522-533. doi: 10.1016/S1872-5805(23)60733-4

Citation:

YUAN Ping, XIAO Hao-ming, LI Jun-yi, LUO Jun-hui, LUO Xian-you, CHEN Da-ming, LI De, CHEN Yong. Optimizing oxygen substituents of a carbon cathode for improved capacitive behavior in ethanol-based zinc-ion capacitors. New Carbon Mater., 2023, 38(3): 522-533. doi: 10.1016/S1872-5805(23)60733-4

Citation:

YUAN Ping, XIAO Hao-ming, LI Jun-yi, LUO Jun-hui, LUO Xian-you, CHEN Da-ming, LI De, CHEN Yong. Optimizing oxygen substituents of a carbon cathode for improved capacitive behavior in ethanol-based zinc-ion capacitors. New Carbon Mater., 2023, 38(3): 522-533. doi: 10.1016/S1872-5805(23)60733-4

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Optimizing oxygen substituents of a carbon cathode for improved capacitive behavior in ethanol-based zinc-ion capacitors

doi: 10.1016/S1872-5805(23)60733-4

YUAN Ping^1
,,
XIAO Hao-ming^2
,,
LI Jun-yi²,
LUO Jun-hui²,
LUO Xian-you¹,
CHEN Da-ming^{1
,
,},
LI De^{1
,
,},
CHEN Yong^{1, 2
,
,}

1.
State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Research on Utilization of Si-Zr-Ti Resources, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
2.
Guangdong Key Laboratory for Hydrogen Energy Technologies, School of Materials Science and Hydrogen Energy, Foshan University, Foshan 528000, China

More Information

Author Bio:
^†袁　平和肖浩鸣为本文共同第一作者
Corresponding author: CHEN Da-ming. E-mail: chendaming@hainanu.edu.cn; LI De. E-mail: lidenju@sina.com; CHEN Yong, Professor. E-mail: ychen2002@163.com
Received Date: 2023-02-21
Accepted Date: 2023-03-24
Rev Recd Date: 2023-03-23

Available Online: 2023-03-31

Publish Date: 2023-06-01

Abstract

Abstract

Zinc ion capacitors (ZICs) have been widely studied in recent years due to their high energy density, excellent rate capability, long cycling life and low cost. The incorporation of oxygen functional groups (OFGs) on the surface of the carbon-based cathodes is an effective strategy for improving the capacitive performance of aqueous ZICs. However, whether their presence helps improve the capacitance of ethanol (EtOH)-based ZICs has not been investigated. In this work, a combination of nitric acid oxidation and thermal treatment was used to regulate the OFGs on the activated surface of the carbon cathode. The optimized sample had a high specific capacitance of 195 F g⁻¹ at 1 A g⁻¹ using ZnCl₂/EtOH as the electrolyte, i.e., a 56% increase compared to an unmodified cathode (125 F g⁻¹). ZICs also shown excellent stability for more than 16 000 cycles at 3 A g⁻¹, while maintaining 100% coulombic efficiency. This significantly improved performance is attributed to the presence of OFGs, especially carboxyl and ester groups, which provide abundant electrochemical active sites for redox reaction with the zinc ions. This study reports a significant improvement in the specific capacitance of carbon cathodes for commercial EtOH-based ZIC systems.
- Zinc-ion capacitors,
- Oxygen functional groups,
- Ethanol,
- Activated carbon,
- Specific capacitance

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References(63)

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