Preparation and Electrochemical Performance of Polyimide-based Activated Carbons with High Surface Area

doi:10.15541/jim20170049

Abstract

Abstract:

Polyimide-based activated carbon (PIAC) was prepared by CO₂ activation using polyimide (PI) film offcut as precursor. The influences of activation conditions on the pore structure of PI-based activated carbons and the activation mechanism were investigated. Effects of pore structure on electrochemical properties of PIAC were also investigated. Results show that the PI film offcuts can be used to prepare the PI-based activated carbon with high surface area, abundant porosity and amorphous carbon structure at relatively low temperature via CO₂ activation, in which the highest specific surface area was 2809 m²/g with pore volume of 1.423 cm³/g. Pore size and distribution of activated carbon can effectively be concentrated at 0.7-2 nm with proper mesopores by controlling CO₂ activation time. As an electrode material, PIAC shows an excellent electrochemical performance with specific capacitance of up to 237 F/g at current density of 100 mA/g and capacitance retention of 86%.

Key words: polyimide film, activated carbon, CO₂ activation, high specific surface, electrochemical performance

CLC Number:

TQ127

WANG Hao, LI Lin, WANG Chun-Lei, WANG Qian, LIANG Chang-Hai, WANG Tong-Hua. Preparation and Electrochemical Performance of Polyimide-based Activated Carbons with High Surface Area[J]. Journal of Inorganic Materials, 2017, 32(11): 1181-1187.

Figures/Tables 10

Fig. 1 Effect of activation time on the adsorption properties and yield of PIAC

Table 1 Porous textural parameters deduced from N2 adsorption for PIAC

Sample	S_BET/(m²·g^-1)	V_tot/(cm³·g^-1)	V_mic/(cm³·g^-1)	V_meso/(cm³·g^-1)	(V_meso/V_tot)/%	C_g/(F·g^-1)
PIAC-2	1229	0.510	0.484	0.026	5	182
PIAC-4	1811	0.792	0.737	0.055	7	212
PIAC-6	2120	1.043	0.854	0.189	18	237
PIAC-8	2809	1.423	1.067	0.356	25	233

Fig. 3 Histogram of pore size distributions for PIAC

Table 2 Comparison of performance of AC prepared from different precursors

Precursor	T /℃	Time/h	S_BET/(m²•g^-1)	V_tot/(cm³•g^-1)
Coconut shells^[12]	900	5.0	1653.0	1.045
Anthracite^[13]	920	3.0	1071.0	0.45
Depleted fullerene soot^[14]	900	2.0	938.0	0.56
PFA^[15]	900	5.0	1150.0	0.45
Corn stalk acid hydrolysis residue^[16]	1000	3.5	845.4	-
Coffee endocarp^[17]	900	3.0	1038.0	0.460
PI film in this work	880	2.0	1229.0	0.510
PI film in this work	880	4.0	1811.0	0.792

Fig. 4 XRD patterns of PIAC

Fig. 5 N1s spectra (a) and O1s spectra (b) of PIAC-t

Fig. 6 CV curves of PIAC-t at scan rate of 2 mV/s (a) and PIAC-6 at different scanning rates (b)

Fig. 7 GCD of PIAC at current density of 100 mA/g (a) and specific capacitance of PIAC at different current densities (b)

Fig. 8 AC impedance spectra of PIAC (a) Nyquist plot with the inset showing the expanded high-frequency region; (b) Bode plot

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