Preparation and Electrochemical Properties of Carbon Cryogel for Supercapacitor

Abstract

Electrochemical properties of carbon cryogel electrode for the application of composite electrode materials mixed with metal oxide in supercapacitor have been studied. Carbon cryogels were synthesized by sol-gel polycondensation of resorcinol with formaldehyde, followed by a freeze drying, and then pyrolysis in an inert atmosphere. Physical properties of carbon cryogel were characterized by BET, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It is found that carbon cryogel is amorphous material. The electrochemical properties of carbon cryogel were measured by cyclic voltammetry as a function of concentration of liquid electrolyte, galvanostatic charge-discharge with different scan rates and electrochemical impedance measurements. The result of cyclic voltammetry indicated that the specific capacitance value of a carbon cryogel electrode was approximately 150.2 F/g (at 5 mV/s in 6 M KOH electrolyte).