Development of High-performance Biobased Supercapacitors

Previous work has shown that the best-performing negative electrodes in asymmetric capacitors are based on carbon materials with a high specific surface area. However, little is known about the optimal structure and surface chemistry. Therefore, we will prepare negative electrode materials by controlled pyrolysis of nanostructured networks of polysaccharides. This network will be create by tuning the initial composition of hemicelluloses and polysaccharide nanocrystals (rodlike cellulose or chitin nanocrystals, starch nanoplatelets) nano- and micro fibrillated cellulose together. Chemical or physical activation and pyrolysis conditions will be used to carefully control the hierarchical structure, pore dimensions, and surface chemistry to pinpoint the ideal structure in a very systematic way.