Preparation of Hierarchical Porous Carbon Aerogels by Microwave Assisted Sol-Gel Process for Supercapacitors

Cai, Xueqing; Tan, Guiming; Deng, Zhentao; Liu, Jianhong; Gui, Dayong

doi:10.3390/polym11030429

Open AccessArticle

Preparation of Hierarchical Porous Carbon Aerogels by Microwave Assisted Sol-Gel Process for Supercapacitors

by

Xueqing Cai

,

Guiming Tan

,

Zhentao Deng

,

Jianhong Liu

and

Dayong Gui

^*

College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518055, China

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Polymers 2019, 11(3), 429; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym11030429

Submission received: 27 January 2019 / Revised: 26 February 2019 / Accepted: 28 February 2019 / Published: 6 March 2019

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer and Composite Aerogels)

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Abstract

Low-cost resorcinol formaldehyde (RF) organic aerogels were prepared by using resorcinol and formaldehyde as precursors, and sodium hydroxide as a catalyst through a single-mode microwave radiation-assisted sol-gel method and ambient temperature drying. Because of the ring focusing and power-max technology, the fabrication procedure of carbon aerogels (CAs) are much easier, faster, and cheaper than traditional methods. The RF aerogels were then pyrolysized at 900 °C, and the KOH activation process was used to further dredge micropores in the carbon aerogels. The CAs were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), nitrogen adsorption/desorption, and a series of electrochemical tests. The KOH activated carbon aerogels with 3D-nano-network structure exhibited a high specific surface area of 2230 m² g⁻¹ with appropriate pore volumes of micro-, meso-, and macropores. The specific capacitance of CAs activated by KOH measured in a two-electrode cell was 170 F g⁻¹ at 0.5 A g⁻¹ with excellent rate capability and cycle stability in 6 M KOH electrolyte.

Keywords: microwave; carbon aerogels; hierarchical porous; KOH activation; supercapacitor

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MDPI and ACS Style

Cai, X.; Tan, G.; Deng, Z.; Liu, J.; Gui, D. Preparation of Hierarchical Porous Carbon Aerogels by Microwave Assisted Sol-Gel Process for Supercapacitors. Polymers 2019, 11, 429. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym11030429

AMA Style

Cai X, Tan G, Deng Z, Liu J, Gui D. Preparation of Hierarchical Porous Carbon Aerogels by Microwave Assisted Sol-Gel Process for Supercapacitors. Polymers. 2019; 11(3):429. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym11030429

Chicago/Turabian Style

Cai, Xueqing, Guiming Tan, Zhentao Deng, Jianhong Liu, and Dayong Gui. 2019. "Preparation of Hierarchical Porous Carbon Aerogels by Microwave Assisted Sol-Gel Process for Supercapacitors" Polymers 11, no. 3: 429. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym11030429

APA Style

Cai, X., Tan, G., Deng, Z., Liu, J., & Gui, D. (2019). Preparation of Hierarchical Porous Carbon Aerogels by Microwave Assisted Sol-Gel Process for Supercapacitors. Polymers, 11(3), 429. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym11030429

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Preparation of Hierarchical Porous Carbon Aerogels by Microwave Assisted Sol-Gel Process for Supercapacitors

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