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Open AccessArticle
Can Aqueous Na2SO4-Based Neutral Electrolyte Increase Energy Density of Monolithic Wood Biochar Electrode Supercapacitor?
by
Long Ye
Long Ye ,
Tianjie Feng
Tianjie Feng ,
Donald W. Kirk
Donald W. Kirk and
Charles Q. Jia
Charles Q. Jia *
The Green Technologies Lab, Department of Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3E5, Canada
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Energies 2024, 17(15), 3710; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17153710 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 6 July 2024
/
Revised: 22 July 2024
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Accepted: 25 July 2024
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Published: 27 July 2024
Abstract
The performance of supercapacitors is significantly influenced by both the nature and the concentration of the electrolyte employed. This study investigates the impact of a neutral electrolyte on the electrochemical properties of the maple-derived monolithic wood biochar (MWB)–sodium sulfate (Na2SO4) supercapacitor. The goal is to determine if a neutral electrolyte, in this case Na2SO4, can increase the supercapacitor energy density compared to a previous study employing a KOH electrolyte. Starting from examining the ion sizes and conductivities of salt species in KOH and Na2SO4 electrolytes, the difference in voltage window, measured specific capacitance, and resistance are discussed. By switching the electrolyte from 4 M KOH to 0.5/1 M Na2SO4, the voltage stability window was extended from 0.8 V to 1.4 V. For 1 M Na2SO4, the supercapacitor attains a specific capacitance of 46 F/g at 5 mA/g, accompanied by an energy density of 12.5 Wh/kg and a maximum power density of 300 W/kg. The MWB electrode, derived from naturally abundant wood, when combined with the non-toxic Na2SO4 electrolyte, offers an environmentally friendly and cost-effective energy storage solution. With a prolonged lifetime and minimal maintenance requirements, MWB-Na2SO4 supercapacitors emerge as a promising choice for diverse applications.
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MDPI and ACS Style
Ye, L.; Feng, T.; Kirk, D.W.; Jia, C.Q.
Can Aqueous Na2SO4-Based Neutral Electrolyte Increase Energy Density of Monolithic Wood Biochar Electrode Supercapacitor? Energies 2024, 17, 3710.
https://doi.org/10.3390/en17153710
AMA Style
Ye L, Feng T, Kirk DW, Jia CQ.
Can Aqueous Na2SO4-Based Neutral Electrolyte Increase Energy Density of Monolithic Wood Biochar Electrode Supercapacitor? Energies. 2024; 17(15):3710.
https://doi.org/10.3390/en17153710
Chicago/Turabian Style
Ye, Long, Tianjie Feng, Donald W. Kirk, and Charles Q. Jia.
2024. "Can Aqueous Na2SO4-Based Neutral Electrolyte Increase Energy Density of Monolithic Wood Biochar Electrode Supercapacitor?" Energies 17, no. 15: 3710.
https://doi.org/10.3390/en17153710
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