Designing hybrid polymer-carbon nanoarchitectures for electrochemical capacitor applications

ANYL 183

Anne E. Fischer, anne.fischer@nrl.navy.mil1, Jeffrey W. Long, jeffrey.long@nrl.navy.mil2, Todd M. McEvoy2, and Debra R. Rolison1. (1) Surface Chemistry Branch, Naval Research Laboratory, Code 6170, 4555 Overlook Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20375, (2) Code 6170, Surface Chemistry Branch, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375
High-surface-area, ultraporous, highly conductive carbon nanoarchitectures (e.g., aerogels) serve as effective three-dimensional electrochemical interfaces and enhance the performance of rate-critical electrochemical energy storage devices, such as supercapacitors. However, the performance of such structures is limited by low energy density. To overcome this limitation, we design and produce hybrid electrode structures by introducing ultrathin conformal coatings of electroactive polymers via self-limiting electrodeposition. The chemical structure of the polymer is selected so that the resulting hybrid architecture can be utilized in either nonaqueous or acidic aqueous electrolytes. Polymers coatings such as poly(o-methoxyaniline) and polypyrrole provide faradaic pseudocapacitance which increases the energy density, while the conformal nature of the deposition preserves the pore structure of the native carbon nanoarchitecture, a critical factor for maintaining high-rate capability.
 

Remembering Ted Williams
8:30 AM-11:45 AM, Monday, 11 September 2006 Moscone Center -- Room 123, Oral

Division of Analytical Chemistry

The 232nd ACS National Meeting, San Francisco, CA, September 10-14, 2006