Carbon nanotube cloth for electrochemical charge storage in aqueous media

• Published in: Journal of electroanalytical chemistry (Lausanne, Switzerland) Vol. 827; pp. 58 - 63
• Main Authors: Filimonenkov, Ivan S., Urvanov, Sergey A., Zhukova, Ekaterina A., Karaeva, Aida R., Skryleva, Elena A., Mordkovich, Vladimir Z., Tsirlina, Galina A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 15.10.2018; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Acidic oxides; Anodic activation; Anodizing; Aqueous solutions; Carbon; Carbon nanotubes; Cloth; Electrodes; Nanotubes; Organic chemistry; Oxidation; Recharging; Supercapacitors; Carbon nanotubes; Supercapacitors; Anodic activation
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jelechem.2018.09.004
• ISSN: 1572-6657

We report the study of recharging behavior of CNT cloth material, which allows a large-scale and relatively cheap fabrication, as well as rather simple electrode design. Oxidative chemical purification procedure is applied prior electrode preparation to decrease the content of iron, which served as the catalyst for CNT fabrication. We demonstrate that this procedure, as well as anodic oxidation, results in the increase of CNT specific capacity in both alkaline and acidic aqueous solutions. Recharging rate is less sensitive to oxidation and remains fast enough: at 1 V/s scan rate the capacities in both acidic and alkaline solutions are close to 25 F/g. These characteristics allow to consider CNT cloth as a future stable backbone for materials of aqueous supercapacitors. •Anodic activation of the CNT cloth results in the formation of the rechargeable O-containing groups and defects.•Activated cloth demonstrates the reversible capacity of 25 F/g at 1 V/s scan rate.•The residual iron catalyst used for nanotubes fabrication is incapsulated and does not affect electrochemical recharging.