Fast single mode microwave-assisted synthesis of porous carbon aerogel for supercapacitors

Abstract

Carbon materials are, in general, very good absorbents of microwaves. The microwave-assisted synthesis illustrated in this work allows carbon aerogels (CA) to be synthesized in a much shorter time than by conventional methods. Resorcinol-formaldehyde xerogels were synthesized using single mode microwave synthesis system at 85°C for less than an hour. Then, carbonization was performed to obtain carbon xerogels. The effect of the microwave radiation time involved in the process on the textural and electrochemical performance of the final materials was evaluated. It can be concluded that it is possible to control their textural characteristics of carbon xerogels by modifying radiation time. The electrochemical performance of synthesized carbon xerogels as electrode materials in electric double-layer capacitors was studied by cyclic voltammetry and charge/discharge experiments in an alkali medium (6MKOH). It can be seen that single mode microwave-assisted synthesis helps the carbon xerogels display good cycle durability and the specific capacitance of the CA which was radiation for 40minutes is 96.22F/g even without any activation and doping treatments.