• Clean Technology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.277-290
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• 2021

A supercapacitor, also called an ultracapacitor or an electrochemical capacitor, stores electrochemical energy by the adsorption/desorption of electrolytic ions or a fast and reversible redox reaction at the electrode surface, which is distinct from the chemical reaction of a battery. A supercapacitor features high specific power, high capacitance, almost infinite cyclability (~ 100,000 cycle), short charging time, good stability, low maintenance cost, and fast frequency response. Supercapacitors have been used in electronic devices to meet the requirements of rapid charging/discharging, such as for memory back-up, and uninterruptible power supply (UPS). Also, their use is being extended to transportation and large industry applications that require high power/energy density, such as for electric vehicles and power quality systems of smart grids. In power generation using intermittent power sources such as solar and wind, a supercapacitor is configured in the energy storage system together with a battery to compensate for the relatively slow charging/discharging time of the battery, to contribute to extending the lifecycle of the battery, and to improve the system power quality. This article provides a concise overview of the principles, mechanisms, and classification of energy storage of supercapacitors in accordance with the electrode materials. Also, it provides a review of the status of recent research and patent, product, and market trends in supercapacitor technology. There are many challenges to be solved to meet industrial demands such as for high voltage module technologies, high efficiency charging, safety, performance improvement, and competitive prices.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.55-62
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• 2021

In order to improve fuel economy and reduce CO2, HEV adopts ISG system as a standard. This ISG system increased the electric load that the battery had to bear, and the number of starting increased rapidly. AGM Lead Acid batteries have been developed and used, but the charging time is about three times longer as the electrolyte amount control during formation must be maintained at a higher level compared to conventional lead-acid batteries. In this study, we tried to shorten the charging time by increasing the charging efficiency through the optimization of the formation pattern. In order to optimize the Formation Pattern, 10 charging steps and 6 discharging steps were applied to 16 multi steps, and the charging current for each step was controlled, and the test was conducted under 4 conditions (21 hr, 24 hr, 27 hr, 30 hr). As a result of simultaneous application of multi-step and discharge step, it was verified that minimizing the current loss and eliminating the sudden polarization during charging contributes to the improvement of charging efficiency. As a result, it showed excellent results in reducing the charging time by about 30 % with improved charging efficiency compared to the previous one.

• Composites Research
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.394-401
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• 2022

Two polymer precursors, polyvinylidene chloride-resin (PVDC-resin) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), are assembled into the microporous carbon by pyrolysis. Microporous carbon is advantageous as an electrode for supercapacitors that store electric charges through ion adsorption/desorption. The pyrolysis also turns the various heteroatoms of two precursors into functional groups, contributing to the additional charge storage. The analysis of the porous structure and function group during carbonization are important to develop the carbon for energy storage. Here, we analyzed the functional groups of two polymer-derived carbons through X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The electrochemical properties of the functional groups were explored in various pH electrolytes. The specific capacitance of two carbons in the acidic electrolyte (1 M H₂SO₄) was improved compared to that in the neutral electrolyte (0.5 M Na₂SO₄) due to the faradaic charge/discharge reaction of the quinone functional group. In particular, the carbon electrode derived from PVDC-resin exhibits a lower capacity than the carbon from PVDF due to the small micropores. In the alkaline electrolyte (6 M KOH), the highest specific capacitance and rate capability were obtained among the three electrolytes for both electrodes based on the facile adsorption of the constituent electrolyte ions (K⁺, OH^-).

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.11-18
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• 2023

As the use of lithium-ion secondary batteries is rapidly increasing due to the rapid growth of the electric vehicle market, the disposal and recycling of spent batteries after use has been raised as a serious problem. Since stored energy must be removed in order to recycle the spent batteries, an effective discharging process is required. In this study, graphite and NCM622 were used as active materials to manufacture coin-type half cells and full cells, and the electrochemical behavior occurring during overdischarge was analyzed. When the positive and negative electrodes are overdischarged respectively using a half-cell, a conversion reaction in which transition metal oxide is reduced to metal occurs first in the positive electrode, and a side reaction in which Cu, the current collector, is corroded following decomposition of the SEI film occurs in the negative electrode. In addition, a side reaction during overdischarge is difficult to occur because a large polarization at the initial stage is required. When the full cell is overdischarged, the cell reaches 0 V and the overdischarge ends with almost no side reaction due to this large polarization. However, if the full cell whose capacity is degraded due to the cycle is overdischarged, corrosion of the Cu current collector occurs in the negative electrode. Therefore, cycled cell requires an appropriate treatment process because its electrochemical behavior during overdischarge is different from that of a fresh cell.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.49-56
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• 2014

As an electrolyte additive, the effects of lithium bis(oxalate)borate (LiBOB) on the electrochemical properties of a carbon-coated silicon monoxide (C-coated SiO) negative electrode are investigated. The used electrolyte is 1.3M $LiPF_6$ that is dissolved in ethylene carbonate (EC), fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC), and diethyl carbonate (DEC) (5:25:70 v/v/v) with or without 0.5 wt. % LiBOB. In the LiBOB-free electrolyte, the film resistance is not so high in the initial period of cycling that lithiation is facilitated to generate the crystalline $Li_{15}Si_4$ phase. Due to repeated volume change that is caused by such a deep charge/discharge, cracks form in the active material to cause a resistance increase, which eventually leads to capacity fading. When LiBOB is added into the electrolyte, however, more resistive surface film is generated by decomposition of LiBOB in the initial period. The crystalline $Li_{15}Si_4$ phase does not form, such that the volume change and crack formation are greatly mitigated. Consequently, the C-coated SiO electrode exhibits a better cycle performance in the later cycles. At an elevated temperature ($45^{\circ}C$), wherein the effect of film resistance is less critical, the alloy ($Li_{15}Si_4$ phase) formation is comparable for the LiBOB-free and added cell to give a similar cycle performance.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.593-599
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• 2017

In order to enhance ultra battery performances, the electrochemical characteristics of nano Pb/AC anode composite was investigated. Through nano Pb adsorption onto activated carbon, nano Pb/AC was synthesized and it was washed under vacuum process. The prepared anode materials was analysed by SEM, BET and EDS. The specific surface area and average pore size of nano Pb/AC composite were $1740m^2/g$ and 1.95 nm, respectively. The negative electrode of ultra battery was prepared by nano Pb/AC dip coating on lead plate. The electrochemical performances of ultra battery were studied using $PbO_2$ (the positive electrode) and prepared nano Pb/AC composite (the negative electrode) pair. Also the electrochemical behaviors of ultra battery were investigated by charge/discharge, cyclic voltammetry, impedance and rate capability tests in 5 M $H_2SO_4$ electrolyte. The initial capacity and cycling performance of the present nano Pb/AC ultra battery were improved with respect to the lead battery and the AC-coated lead battery. These experimental results indicate that the proper addition of nano Pb/AC into the negative electrode can improve the discharge capacity and the long term cycle stability and remarkably suppress the hydrogen evolution reaction on the negative electrode.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.280-288
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• 2017

Nanocarbon base materials such as, graphene and graphene hybrid with high electrochemical performances have great deal of attention to investigate flexible, stretchable display and wearable electronics in order to develop portable and high efficient energy storage devices. Battery, fuel cell and supercapacitor are able to achieve those properties for flexible, stretchable and wearable electronics, especially the supercapacitor is a promise energy storage device due to their remarkable properties including high power and energy density, environment friendly, fast charge-discharge and high stability. In this study, we have fabricated flexible supercapacitor composed of graphene/conductive polymer composite which could improve its electrochemical performance. As a result, specific capacitance value of the flexible supercapacitor (unbent) was $198.5F\;g^{-1}$ which decreased to $128.3F\;g^{-1}$ (65% retention) after $500^{th}$ bending cycle.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.444-448
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• 2016

Hollow silicon/carbon (H-Si/C) composites as anode materials for lithium ion batteries were investigated to overcome the large volume expansion. H-Si/C composites were prepared as follows; hollow $SiO_2\;(H-SiO_2)$ was prepared by adding $NaBH_4$ to $SiO_2$ synthesized using $st{\ddot{o}}ber$ method followed by magnesiothermic reduction and carbonization of phenolic resin. The H-Si/C composites were analyzed by XRD, SEM, BET and EDX. To improve the capacity and cycle performance, the electrochemical characteristics of H-Si/C composites synthesized with various $NaBH_4$ contents were investigated by charge/discharge, cycle, cyclic voltammetry and impedance tests. The coin cell using H-Si/C composite ($SiO_2:NaBH_4=1:1$ in weight) in the electrolyte of $LiPF_6$ dissolved in organic solvents (EC : DMC : EMC = 1 : 1 : 1 vol%) has better capacity (1459 mAh/g) than those of other composition coin cells. It is found that the coin cell ($SiO_2:NaBH_4=1:1$ in weight) has an excellent capacity retention from 2nd cycle to 40th cycle.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.750-759
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• 2016

The $MnO_2$ electrodeposited on the surface of the carbon nanofiber mats ($MnO_2$-LCNFM) were prepared from electrospun lignin-g-PAN copolymer via heat treatments and subsequent $MnO_2$ electrodeposition method. The resulting $MnO_2$-LCNFM was evaluateed for its potential use in a supercapicitor electrode. The increase of $MnO_2$ electric deposition time was revealed to increase diameter of carbon nanofibers as well as $MnO_2$ content on the surface of carbon nanofiber mats as confirmed by scanning electon microscope (SEM) analysis. The electrochemical properties of $MnO_2$-LCNFM electrodes are evaluated through cyclic voltammetry test. It was shown that $MnO_2$-LCNFM electrode exhibited good electrochemical performance with specific capacitance of $168.0mF{\cdot}cm^{-2}$. The $MnO_2$-LCNFM supercapacitor successfully fabricated using the gel electrolyte ($H_3PO_4$/Polyvinyl alcohol) showed to have the capacitance efficiency of ~90%, and stable behavior during 1,000 charging/discharging cycles.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.21-26
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• 2002

A supercapacitor was developed using an amorphous ruthenium oxide material. The electrode of supercapacitor was prepared using an amorphous ruthenium oxide, which was synthesized from ruthenium trichloide hydrate$(RuCl_3{\cdo5}xH_2O)$. Thin film of tantalum was used as a current collector because it had wide. potential window characteristics than titanium and 575304 materials. A supercapacitor was assembled with ruthenium oxide as an electrode active material and 4.8M sulfuric acid solution as an electrolyte. The specific capacitance of the electrode was tested by a cyclic voltammetry using a half cell. The maximum differential specific capacitances during the oxidative and the reductive scans were 710 and $645\;F/g-RuO_2{\cdot}nH_2O$, respectively. The average specific capacitance was $521\;F/g-RuO_2{\cdot}nH_2O$. The assembled supercapacitor was protonated to the potential level of 0.5V vs. SCE. Super-capacitor, which was adjusted to the appropriate protonation level, had the specific capacitance of $151\;F/g-RuO_2{\cdot}nH_2O$ based on the concept of full cell.