Study of high surface area SiCN and SiOC as electrode materials for supercapacitors

Bachelor Thesis

In response to the changing global landscape, energy has become a primary focus of the major world powers and scientific community. There has been great interest in developing and refining more efficient energy storage devices. One such device, the supercapacitor, has matured significantly over the last decade and emerged with the potential to facilitate major advances in energy storage. Supercapacitors, also known as ultracapacitors or electrochemical capacitors, utilize high surface area electrode materials and thin electrolytic dielectrics to achieve capacitances several orders of magnitude larger than conventional capacitors [1]. In doing so, supercapacitors are able to attain greater energy densities while still maintaining the characteristic high power density of conventional capacitors.

Within this study, the bachelor candidate will built the supercapacitor cells with electrodes based on SiCN and SiOC ceramics. Commercially available activated carbon will be used as a reference. Organic electrolytes and ionic liquids will be investigated with a goal to enhance the electrochemical properties. Following, the candidate will characterize the material by means of SEM, Raman spectroscopy and active surface measurements (BET).

1. Conway, B. E. (1999). Electrochemical Supercapacitors : Scientific Fundamentals and Technological Applications. New York, Kluwer-Plenum