Effect of nitrogen-containing groups on enhanced capacitive behaviors of multi-walled carbon nanotubes

Journal Article · Mon Aug 15 00:00:00 EDT 2011 · Journal of Solid State Chemistry

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jssc.2011.05.038· OSTI ID:21580182

Kim, Ji-Il ^[1]; Park, Soo-Jin ^[1]

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1. Department of Chemistry, Inha University, 253 Nam-gu, Incheon 402-751 (Korea, Republic of)

In this work, electrochemical properties of surface treated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) are studied in supercapacitors. Nitrogen and oxygen functional groups containing MWNTs are prepared by urea and acidic treatments, respectively. The surface properties of the MWNTs are confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and zeta-potential measurements. The textural properties are characterized by N{sub 2} adsorption/desorption isotherm at 77 K using the BET eqaution, BJH method, and HK method. The electrochemical properties of the MWNTs are accumulated by cyclic voltammetry, impedance spectra, and charge-discharge cycling performance in 1 M H{sub 2}SO{sub 4} at room temperature. As a result, the functionalized MWNTs lead to an increase in capacitance as compared with pristine MWNTs. It suggests that the pyridinic and pyridinic-N-oxides nitrogen species have effects on the specific capacitance due to the positive charge, and thus an improved electron transfer at high current loads results, the most important functional groups affecting capacitive behaviors. - Graphical Abstract: The N{sub 1s} spectra of nitrogen functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes are measured by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Highlights: > Facile method of increasing elemental composition of nitrogen functional groups on carbon materials. > Increased specific capacitance multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) for electrode materials as high as general chemical activation process. > Enhanced capacitive behaviors via introducing pyridinic and pyridinic-N-oxides nitrogen species onto the MWNTs. > Improvement of electron transfer at high current loads.

• OSTI ID: 21580182
• Journal Information: Journal of Solid State Chemistry, Journal Name: Journal of Solid State Chemistry Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 184; ISSN 0022-4596; ISSN JSSCBI
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
ADSORPTION
CAPACITANCE
CARBON
CHEMICAL ACTIVATION
CHEMISTRY
DESORPTION
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTROCHEMISTRY
ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
ELECTRON TRANSFER
ELEMENTS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INORGANIC ACIDS
INORGANIC COMPOUNDS
NANOSTRUCTURES
NANOTUBES
NITROGEN
NONMETALS
OXYGEN
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
SORPTION
SPECTROSCOPY
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFURIC ACID
SURFACE PROPERTIES
SURFACE TREATMENTS
X-RAY PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY