A new route for preparation of titanium carbide derived carbon and its performance for supercapacitors
- Lei Zhanga, b,
- Xiujuan Qina, b,
, 
, - Guangjie Shaoa, b, , ,
- Zhipeng Maa, b,
- Shuang Liua, b,
- Chongchong Hea, b
- a State key Laboratory of Metastable Materials Science and Technology, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004, China
- b Hebei Key Laboratory of Applied Chemistry, College of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004, China
- Received 1 September 2013, Accepted 1 February 2014, Available online 8 February 2014
Highlights
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The equipment is devised based on the requirement of the experiment.
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TiC powders are synthesized from inexpensive TiO2 and graphite powders.
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TiC-CDC is successfully synthesized by electrolysis of TiC powder in molten CaCl2.
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TiC-CDC has much higher purity, displays a superior electrocapacitive performance.
Abstract
A nanoporous titanium carbide derived carbon (TiC-CDC) is successfully synthesized by electrolysis of TiC powder in molten CaCl2. The electrolysis was conducted at 850 °C for 48 h in argon at an applied constant voltage of 3.1 V. The structure of the resulting carbon is characterized by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and Transmission electron microscope techniques. Cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge/discharge measurements are applied to investigate electrochemical performances of the TiC-CDC material. The results show that the obtained product is TiC-CDC, which is a mixture of amorphous carbon and ordered graphite phase with a highly degree of graphitization. Cyclic voltammetry measurements on the TiC–CDC do not show any major faradic reactions within the experimental voltage range. A specific capacitance of 160 F/g at a current density of 300 mA/g was achieved from the sample synthesized at 850 °C.
