Nanoporous Hollow Carbon Spheres Derived from Fullerene Assembly as Electrode Materials for High-Performance Supercapacitors

Abstract

The energy storage performances of supercapacitors are expected to be enhanced by the use of nanostructured hierarchically micro/mesoporous hollow carbon materials based on their ultra-high specific surface areas and rapid diffusion of electrolyte ions through the interconnected channels of their mesoporous structures. In this work, we report the electrochemical supercapacitance properties of hollow carbon spheres prepared by high-temperature carbonization of self-assembled fullerene-ethylenediamine hollow spheres (FE-HS). FE-HS, having an average external diameter of 290 nm, an internal diameter of 65 nm, and a wall thickness of 225 nm, were prepared by using the dynamic liquid-liquid interfacial precipitation (DLLIP) method at ambient conditions of temperature and pressure. High temperature carbonization (at 700, 900, and 1100 °C) of the FE-HS yielded nanoporous (micro/mesoporous) hollow carbon spheres with large surface areas (612 to 1616 m2 g−1) and large pore volumes (0.925 to 1.346 cm3 g−1) dependent on the temperature applied. The sample obtained by carbonization of FE-HS at 900 °C (FE-HS_900) displayed optimum surface area and exhibited remarkable electrochemical electrical double-layer capacitance properties in aq. 1 M sulfuric acid due to its well-developed porosity, interconnected pore structure, and large surface area. For a three-electrode cell setup, a specific capacitance of 293 F g−1 at a 1 A g−1 current density, which is approximately 4 times greater than the specific capacitance of the starting material, FE-HS. The symmetric supercapacitor cell was assembled using FE-HS_900 and attained 164 F g−1 at 1 A g−1 with sustained 50% capacitance at 10 A g−1 accompanied by 96% cycle life and 98% coulombic efficiency after 10,000 consecutive charge/discharge cycles. The results demonstrate the excellent potential of these fullerene assemblies in the fabrication of nanoporous carbon materials with the extensive surface areas required for high-performance energy storage supercapacitor applications.

Ultrahigh Surface Area Hierarchically Porous Carbon Materials from Polyacrylamide–Cellulose Hydrogel for High-Performance Supercapacitors

“…3387.2 m 2 g –1 and 1.963 cm 3 g –1 , respectively. These values are much higher than the commercially available activated carbon materials or other porous carbon materials derived from other synthetic carbon sources including fullerene crystals. − K 2 CO 3 also introduces defects or structural irregularities in the carbon lattice, which can function as active sites for electron transfer, further improving the prospects of these materials in energy storage applications.…”

Improved supercapacitor performances by adding carbonized C60-based nanospheres to PVA/TEMPO-cellulose hydrogel-based electrolyte

“…As previously reported, the resulting CS had an excellent large surface area (1439.3 m 2 g −1 ) and large pore volume (1.346 cm 3 g −1 ). 32 Due to the lack of hydrophilic groups on the CS surface, CS could not be directly dispersed in water. To address this problem, we added CS to the TC aqueous solution.…”

“…The C 60 -based nanospheres were synthesized as previously reported. 32 A solution of EDA (0.55 mL) in m -xylene (5 mL) was prepared by applying sonication for 30 min. 5 mL of a C 60 solution in m -xylene (1 mg mL −1 ) was then added to the EDA/ m -xylene solution, and the obtained solution was thoroughly mixed on a vortex mixer for 10 s. After 40 min of incubation, the precipitates in the solution were collected by centrifugation at 9500 rpm for 10 min and repeatedly washed with IPA and DI-water 3 times, respectively.…”

NiS Nanosheets Decorated on Hollow Carbon Spheres from Liquefied Wood for Supercapacitors

“…Due to their specific structures, high surface areas, and large pore volumes, the assembled supercapacitor delivers a considerable energy density of 37.4 Wh kg –1 at 212 W kg –1 . It is worth noting that hollow porous carbon spheres (HCS) have large specific surface area and superior electrochemical performance attributed to their nanoscaled shell thickness, rich mesoporous structure, and large cavity structure, making them potential materials for the next-generation supercapacitors. − Ariga et al reported the electrochemical supercapacitance properties of hollow carbon spheres prepared by high-temperature carbonization of self-assembled fullerene-ethylenediamine hollow spheres (FE-HS), which have enormous potential for electrochemical energy storage supercapacitor applications . Xu et al proposed highly porous, N-doped HCNs (pyrrole and aniline as carbon sources) via the interfacial copolymerization strategy and NH 3 -assisted carbonization for SCs and Li–S batteries .…”

“…17−20 Ariga et al reported the electrochemical supercapacitance properties of hollow carbon spheres prepared by high-temperature carbonization of self-assembled fullerene-ethylenediamine hollow spheres (FE-HS), which have enormous potential for electrochemical energy storage supercapacitor applications. 21 Xu et al proposed highly porous, N-doped HCNs (pyrrole and aniline as carbon sources) via the interfacial copolymerization strategy and NH 3 -assisted carbonization for SCs and Li−S batteries. 22 Cai et al reported a supercapacitor with hollow porous nanostructures, in which the modified-SiO 2 nanospheres were used as the template and agar as the carbon resource.…”