Capacitive Energy Storage: Current and Future Challenges

Occurrence Characteristics of Water in Nano-Slit Pores under Different Solution Conditions: A Case Study on Kaolinite

The presence of water in narrow pore spaces affects the occurrence and flow of methane, which in turn affects shale gas production. Therefore, studying the occurrence and distribution characteristics of water is of great significance to predict gas production. Based on molecular dynamics simulations, this study investigated the occurrence characteristics and influencing variables of liquid water in kaolinite nanopores in situ. Owing to its widespread distribution, kaolinite is the most prevalent clay mineral with two surfaces with different characteristics. Three systems of pure water, a CaCl₂ solution, and a H₂O/CH₄ mixed phase were created at varied temperatures (80-120 °C) and pressures (70-120 MPa). The presence of gas and water in the nanopores was investigated thoroughly. The results showed that the adsorption of water on the Al-O octahedral surface of kaolinite was not affected by external conditions under in situ conditions, whereas the adsorption of water on the Si-O tetrahedral surface decreased with increasing temperature, but the change was small. When ions were present in the system, the water capacity decreased. Based on the aforementioned results, external conditions, such as temperature and pressure do not affect the basic state of water. However, if there are more than two fluid types in the system, the adsorption of water on the mineral surface is reduced owing to competitive adsorption. In addition, a CH₄-H₂O mixed system was simulated, in which methane molecules were distributed in clusters. There are two types of adsorptions in pores: gas-solid interactions and solid-liquid-gas interactions. CH₄ molecules are thought to be clustered in water molecules because of the strong hydrogen bonding interactions among the water.

Predictive Molecular Models for Charged Materials Systems: From Energy Materials to Biomacromolecules

Electrostatic interactions play a dominant role in charged materials systems. Understanding the complex correlation between macroscopic properties with microscopic structures is of critical importance to develop rational design strategies for advanced materials. But the complexity of this challenging task is augmented by interfaces present in the charged materials systems, such as electrode-electrolyte interfaces or biological membranes. Over the last decades, predictive molecular simulations that are founded in fundamental physics and optimized for charged interfacial systems have proven their value in providing molecular understanding of physicochemical properties and functional mechanisms for diverse materials. Novel design strategies utilizing predictive models have been suggested as promising route for the rational design of materials with tailored properties. Here, an overview of recent advances in the understanding of charged interfacial systems aided by predictive molecular simulations is presented. Focusing on three types of charged interfaces found in energy materials and biomacromolecules, how the molecular models characterize ion structure, charge transport, morphology relation to the environment, and the thermodynamics/kinetics of molecular binding at the interfaces is discussed. The critical analysis brings two prominent field of energy materials and biological science under common perspective, to stimulate crossover in both research field that have been largely separated.

Polyacrylonitrile-b-Polystyrene Block Copolymer-Derived Hierarchical Porous Carbon Materials for Supercapacitor

The use of block copolymers as a sacrificial template has been demonstrated to be a powerful method for obtaining porous carbons as electrode materials in energy storage devices. In this work, a block copolymer of polystyrene and polyacrylonitrile (PS-b-PAN) has been used as a precursor to produce fibers by electrospinning and powdered carbons, showing high carbon yield (~50%) due to a low sacrificial block content (f_PS ≈ 0.16). Both materials have been compared structurally (in addition to comparing their electrochemical behavior). The porous carbon fibers showed superior pore formation capability and exhibited a hierarchical porous structure, with small and large mesopores and a relatively high surface area (~492 m²/g) with a considerable quantity of O/N surface content, which translates into outstanding electrochemical performance with excellent cycle stability (close to 100% capacitance retention after 10,000 cycles) and high capacitance value (254 F/g measured at 1 A/g).

Co-Ion Desorption as the Main Charging Mechanism in Metallic 1T-MoS2 Supercapacitors

Metallic 1T-MoS₂ is a promising electrode material for supercapacitor applications. Its layered structure allows the efficient intercalation of ions, leading to experimental volumetric capacitance as high as 140 F/cm³. Molecular dynamics could in principle be used to characterize its charging mechanism; however, unlike conventional nanoporous carbon, 1T-MoS₂ is a multicomponent electrode. The Mo and S atoms have very different electronegativities so that 1T-MoS₂ cannot be simulated accurately using the conventional constant potential method. In this work, we show that controlling the electrochemical potential of the atoms allows one to recover average partial charges for the elements in agreement with electronic structure calculations for the material at rest, without compromising the ability to simulate systems under an applied voltage. The simulations yield volumetric capacitances in agreement with experiments. We show that due to the large electronegativity of S, the co-ion desorption is the main charging mechanism at play during the charging process. This contrasts drastically with carbon materials for which ion exchange and counterion adsorption usually dominate. In the future, our method can be extended to the study of a wide range of families of 2D layered materials such as MXenes.

Mechanically Active Materials and Devices for Bio-Interfaced Pressure Sensors-A Review

Pressures generated by external forces or by internal body processes represent parameters of critical importance in diagnosing physiological health and in anticipating injuries. Examples span intracranial hypertension from traumatic brain injuries, high blood pressure from poor diet, pressure-induced skin ulcers from immobility, and edema from congestive heart failure. Pressures measured on the soft surfaces of vital organs or within internal cavities of the body can provide essential insights into patient status and progression. Challenges lie in the development of high-performance pressure sensors that can softly interface with biological tissues to enable safe monitoring for extended periods of time. This review focuses on recent advances in mechanically active materials and structural designs for classes of soft pressure sensors that have proven uses in these contexts. The discussions include applications of such sensors as implantable and wearable systems, with various unique capabilities in wireless continuous monitoring, minimally invasive deployment, natural degradation in biofluids, and/or multiplexed spatiotemporal mapping. A concluding section summarizes challenges and future opportunities for this growing field of materials and biomedical research.

A Biodegradable Polymer-Based Plastic Chip Electrode as a Current Collector in Supercapacitor Application

Here, we report the performance of a biodegradable polymer-based Plastic chip Electrode (PCE) as a current collector in supercapacitor applications. Its production was evaluated using two redox materials (conducting polymers polyaniline and poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene)) and a layered material, rGO. The conducting polymers were directly deposited over the Eco-friendly PCE (EPCE) using the galvanostatic method. The rGO was prepared in the conventional way and loaded over the EPCE using a binder. Both conducting polymers and rGO showed proper specific capacitance compared to previous studies with regular current collectors. Electrodes were found highly stable during experiments in high acidic medium. The supercapacitive performance was evaluated with cyclic voltammetry, charge–discharge measurements, and impedance spectroscopy. The supercapacitive materials were also characterized for their electrical and microscopic properties. Polyaniline and PEDOT were deposited over EPCEs showing >150 Fg−1 and >120 Fg−1 specific capacitance, respectively, at 0.5 Ag−1. rGO continued to show higher particular capacitance of >250 Fg−1 with excellent charge–discharge cyclic stability. The study concludes that EPCs can be used as promising electrodes for electrical energy storage applications.

An evaluation of the capacitive behavior of supercapacitors as a function of the radius of cations using simulations with a constant potential method

We report on the atomistic molecular dynamics, applying the constant potential method to determine the structural and electrostatic interactions at the electrode-electrolyte interface of electrochemical supercapacitors as a function of the cation radius (Cs⁺, Rb⁺, K⁺, Na⁺, Li⁺). We find that the electrical double layer is susceptible to the size, hydration layer volume, and cations' mobility and analyzed them. Besides, the transient potential shows an increase in magnitude and length as a function of the monocation size, i.e., Cs⁺ > Rb⁺ > K⁺ > Na⁺ > Li⁺. On the other hand, the charge distribution along the electrode surface is less uniform for large monocations. Nonetheless, the difference is not observed as a function of the radius of the cation for the integral capacitance. Our results are comparable to studies that employed the fixed charge method for treating such systems.

Asymmetric double-layer charging in a cylindrical nanopore under closed confinement

This article presents a physical-mathematical treatment and numerical simulations of electric double layer charging in a closed, finite, and cylindrical nanopore of circular cross section, embedded in a polymeric host with charged walls and sealed at both ends by metal electrodes under an external voltage bias. Modified Poisson-Nernst-Planck equations were used to account for finite ion sizes, subject to an electroneutrality condition. The time evolution of the formation and relaxation of the double layers was explored. Moreover, equilibrium ion distributions and differential capacitance curves were investigated as functions of the pore surface charge density, electrolyte concentration, ion sizes, and pore size. Asymmetric properties of the differential capacitance curves reveal that the structure of the double layer near each electrode is controlled by the charge concentration along the pore surface and by charge asymmetry in the electrolyte. These results carry implications for accurately simulating cylindrical capacitors and electroactuators.

Long-range forces and charge inversions in model charged colloidal dispersions at finite concentration

In charged colloidal dispersion systems the interest is in finding their stability conditions, phase transitions, and transport properties, either in bulk or confinement, among other physicochemical quantities, for which the knowledge of the dispersions' molecular structure and the associated macroion-macroion forces is crucial. To investigate these phenomena simple models have been proposed. Most of the theoretical and simulation studies on charged particles suspensions are at infinite dilution conditions. Hence, these studies have been focused on the electrolyte structure around one or two isolated central particle(s), where phenomena as charge reversal, charge inversion and surface charge amplification have been shown to be relevant. However, experimental studies at finite volume fraction exhibit interesting phenomenology which imply very long-range correlations. A simple, yet useful, model is the Colloidal Primitive Model, in which the colloidal dispersion is modeled as a mixture of size (and charge) asymmetrical hard spheres, at finite volume fraction. In this paper we review recent integral equations solutions for this model, where very long-range attractive-repulsive forces, as well as new long-range, giant charge inversions are reported. The calculated macroions radial distribution functions, charge distributions, and macroion-macroion forces are qualitatively consistent with existing experimental results, and Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulations.

Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Ionic Liquids and Electrolytes Using Polarizable Force Fields

Many applications in chemistry, biology, and energy storage/conversion research rely on molecular simulations to provide fundamental insight into structural and transport properties of materials with high ionic concentrations. Whether the system is comprised entirely of ions, like ionic liquids, or is a mixture of a polar solvent with a salt, e.g., liquid electrolytes for battery applications, the presence of ions in these materials results in strong local electric fields polarizing solvent molecules and large ions. To predict properties of such systems from molecular simulations often requires either explicit or mean-field inclusion of the influence of polarization on electrostatic interactions. In this manuscript, we review the pros and cons of different treatments of polarization ranging from the mean-field approaches to the most popular explicit polarization models in molecular dynamics simulations of ionic materials. For each method, we discuss their advantages and disadvantages and emphasize key assumptions as well as their adjustable parameters. Strategies for the development of polarizable models are presented with a specific focus on extracting atomic polarizabilities. Finally, we compare simulations using polarizable and nonpolarizable models for several classes of ionic systems, discussing the underlying physics that each approach includes or ignores, implications for implementation and computational efficiency, and the accuracy of properties predicted by these methods compared to experiments.

Temperature-Dependent Morphologies of Precursors: Metal-Organic Framework-Derived Porous Carbon for High-Performance Electrochemical Double-Layer Capacitors

In this work, three Cu metal-organic framework samples with tunable rhombic, squama, and trucated bipyramid morphologies have been synthesized at 0, 25, and 60 °C, respectively, and further employed as precursors to initially prepare Cu@C composites by the calcination-thermolysis procedure. Then Cu@C composites have been etched with HCl and subsequently activated with KOH to obtain activated porous carbon (APC-0, -25, and -60). Interestingly, APC-25 presents a loose multilevel morphology of cabbage and possesses the largest specific surface area (1880.4 m² g^-1) and pore volume (0.81 cm³ g^-1) among these APC materials. Consequently, APC-25 also exhibits the highest specific capacitance of 196 F g^-1 at 0.5 A g^-1, and the corresponding symmetric supercapacitor cell (SSC) achieves a remarkable energy density of 11.8 Wh kg^-1 at a power density of 350 W kg^-1. Furthermore, APC-25 shows excellent cycling stability, and the loss of capacitance is only 7.7% even after 10000 cycles at 1 A g^-1. Significantly, five light-emitting diodes can be lit by six SSCs, which proves that APC-25 can be used in energy storage devices.

Ion-ion correlations across and between electrified graphene layers

When an ionic liquid adsorbs onto a porous electrode, its ionic arrangement is deeply modified due to a screening of the Coulombic interactions by the metallic surface and by the confinement imposed upon it by the electrode's morphology. In particular, ions of the same charge can approach at close contact, leading to the formation of a superionic state. The impact of an electrified surface placed between two liquid phases is much less understood. Here we simulate a full supercapacitor made of the 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate and nanoporous graphene electrodes, with varying distances between the graphene sheets. The electrodes are held at constant potential by allowing the carbon charges to fluctuate. Under strong confinement conditions, we show that ions of the same charge tend to adsorb in front of each other across the graphene plane. These correlations are allowed by the formation of a highly localized image charge on the carbon atoms between the ions. They are suppressed in larger pores, when the liquid adopts a bilayer structure between the graphene sheets. These effects are qualitatively similar to the recent templating effects which have been reported during the growth of nanocrystals on a graphene substrate.

Outsized Amplitude-Modulated Structure of Very-Long-Range Charge Inversions in Model Colloidal Dispersions

Most theoretical and simulation studies on charged suspensions are at infinite dilution and are focused on the electrolyte structure around one or two isolated particles. Some classic experimental studies with latex particle solutions exhibit interesting phenomenology which imply very-long-range correlations. Here, we apply an integral equation theory to a model charged macroion suspension, at finite volume fraction, and find an amplitude-modulated charge inversion structure, with outsized amplitudes and of very-long-range extension. These inversions are different from the standard charge inversions in that they occur at finite macroions' volume fraction, far away from the central macroion, are outsized, and increase, not decrease, with increasing particle charge and distance to the central particle, which is indicative of long-range correlations. We find our results to be in agreement with our Monte Carlo simulations and qualitatively consistent with existing experimental results.

Tracking Ionic Rearrangements and Interpreting Dynamic Volumetric Changes in Two-Dimensional Metal Carbide Supercapacitors: A Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study

We present a molecular dynamics simulation study achieved on two-dimensional (2D) Ti₃ C₂ T_x MXenes in the ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([EMIM]⁺ [TFSI]^- ) electrolyte. Our simulations reproduce the different patterns of volumetric change observed experimentally for both the negative and positive electrodes. The analysis of ionic fluxes and structure rearrangements in the 2D material provide an atomic scale insight into the charge and discharge processes in the layer pore and confirm the existence of two different charge-storage mechanisms at the negative and positive electrodes. The ionic number variation and the structure rearrangement contribute to the dynamic volumetric changes of both electrodes: negative electrode expansion and positive electrode contraction.

Influence of the Nature of the Alkali Metal Cations on the Electrical Double-Layer Capacitance of Model Pt(111) and Au(111) Electrodes

Understanding the properties of the electrical double layer (EDL) is one of the interdisciplinary topics that plays a key role in the investigation of numerous natural and artificial systems. We present experimental evidence about the influence of the nature of the alkali metal cations on the EDL capacitance for two model electrodes, Pt(111) and Au(111), in 0.05 M AMClO₄ ( AM: Li⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Rb⁺, Cs⁺) electrolytes using impedance spectroscopy measurements. Our data show that counterintuitively the differential EDL capacitance of both electrodes measured close to their potentials of zero charge increased linearly in the presence of alkali metal cations as Li⁺ < Na⁺ < K⁺ < Rb⁺ < Cs⁺. We also estimated the effective concentrations of these cations at the EDL, which appeared ∼80 times higher than their bulk concentrations. We believe that these findings should be of importance for theoretical modeling of the EDL and better understanding and faster design of new functional systems for numerous applications.

The effect of different organic solvents on sodium ion storage in carbon nanopores

GCMC atomistic simulation to study the coupled effects of nanoporous hard carbon and different organic solvents on Na ion storage.

Quantifying the thickness of the electrical double layer neutralizing a planar electrode: the capacitive compactness

The spatial extension of the ionic cloud neutralizing a charged colloid or an electrode is usually characterized by the Debye length associated with the supporting charged fluid in the bulk. This spatial length arises naturally in the linear Poisson-Boltzmann theory of point charges, which is the cornerstone of the widely used Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek formalism describing the colloidal stability of electrified macroparticles. By definition, the Debye length is independent of important physical features of charged solutions such as the colloidal charge, electrostatic ion correlations, ionic excluded volume effects, or specific short-range interactions, just to mention a few. In order to include consistently these features to describe more accurately the thickness of the electrical double layer of an inhomogeneous charged fluid in planar geometry, we propose here the use of the capacitive compactness concept as a generalization of the compactness of the spherical electrical double layer around a small macroion (González-Tovar et al., J. Chem. Phys. 2004, 120, 9782). To exemplify the usefulness of the capacitive compactness to characterize strongly coupled charged fluids in external electric fields, we use integral equations theory and Monte Carlo simulations to analyze the electrical properties of a model molten salt near a planar electrode. In particular, we study the electrode's charge neutralization, and the maximum inversion of the net charge per unit area of the electrode-molten salt system as a function of the ionic concentration, and the electrode's charge. The behaviour of the associated capacitive compactness is interpreted in terms of the charge neutralization capacity of the highly correlated charged fluid, which evidences a shrinking/expansion of the electrical double layer at a microscopic level. The capacitive compactness and its first two derivatives are expressed in terms of experimentally measurable macroscopic properties such as the differential and integral capacity, the electrode's surface charge density, and the mean electrostatic potential at the electrode's surface.

Structure of electric double layers in capacitive systems and to what extent (classical) density functional theory describes it

Ongoing scientific interest is aimed at the properties and structure of electric double layers (EDLs), which are crucial for capacitive energy storage, water treatment, and energy harvesting technologies like supercapacitors, desalination devices, blue engines, and thermocapacitive heat-to-current converters. A promising tool to describe their physics on a microscopic level is (classical) density functional theory (DFT), which can be applied in order to analyze pair correlations and charge ordering in the primitive model of charged hard spheres. This simple model captures the main properties of ionic liquids and solutions and it predicts many of the phenomena that occur in EDLs. The latter often lead to anomalous response in the differential capacitance of EDLs. This work constructively reviews the powerful theoretical framework of DFT and its recent developments regarding the description of EDLs. It explains to what extent current approaches in DFT describe structural ordering and in-plane transitions in EDLs, which occur when the corresponding electrodes are charged. Further, the review briefly summarizes the history of modeling EDLs, presents applications, and points out limitations and strengths in present theoretical approaches. It concludes that DFT as a sophisticated microscopic theory for ionic systems is expecting a challenging but promising future in both fundamental research and applications in supercapacitive technologies.

Kinetic-Dominated Charging Mechanism within Representative Aqueous Electrolyte-based Electric Double-Layer Capacitors

The chemical nature of electrolytes has been demonstrated to play a pivotal role in the charge storage of electric double-layer capacitors (EDLCs), whereas primary mechanisms are still partially resolved but controversial. In this work, a systematic exploration into EDL structures and kinetics of representative aqueous electrolytes is performed with numerical simulation and experimental research. Unusually, a novel charging mechanism exclusively predominated by kinetics is recognized, going beyond traditional views of manipulating capacitances preferentially via interfacial structural variations. Specifically, strikingly distinctive EDL structures stimulated by diverse ion sizes, valences, and mixtures manifest a virtually identical EDL capacitance, where the dielectric nature of solvents attenuates ionic effects on electrolyte redistributions, in stark contradiction with solvent-free counterpart and traditional Helmholtz theory. Meanwhile, corresponding kinetics evolve conspicuously with ionic species, intimately correlated with ion-solvent interactions. The achieved mechanisms are subsequently illuminated by electrochemical measurements, highlighting the crucial interplay between ions and solvents in regulating EDLC performances.

Computational Insights into Materials and Interfaces for Capacitive Energy Storage

Supercapacitors such as electric double-layer capacitors (EDLCs) and pseudocapacitors are becoming increasingly important in the field of electrical energy storage. Theoretical study of energy storage in EDLCs focuses on solving for the electric double-layer structure in different electrode geometries and electrolyte components, which can be achieved by molecular simulations such as classical molecular dynamics (MD), classical density functional theory (classical DFT), and Monte-Carlo (MC) methods. In recent years, combining first-principles and classical simulations to investigate the carbon-based EDLCs has shed light on the importance of quantum capacitance in graphene-like 2D systems. More recently, the development of joint density functional theory (JDFT) enables self-consistent electronic-structure calculation for an electrode being solvated by an electrolyte. In contrast with the large amount of theoretical and computational effort on EDLCs, theoretical understanding of pseudocapacitance is very limited. In this review, we first introduce popular modeling methods and then focus on several important aspects of EDLCs including nanoconfinement, quantum capacitance, dielectric screening, and novel 2D electrode design; we also briefly touch upon pseudocapactive mechanism in RuO2. We summarize and conclude with an outlook for the future of materials simulation and design for capacitive energy storage.

Ionic Liquids for Supercapacitor Applications

Supercapacitors are electrochemical energy storage devices in which the charge is accumulated through the adsorption of ions from an electrolyte on the surface of the electrode. Because of their large ionic concentrations, ionic liquids have widely been investigated for such applications. The main properties that have to be optimized are the electrochemical window, the electrical conductivity, and the interfacial capacitances. Ionic liquids allow a significant improvement of the former, but they suffer from their high viscosity. In this review, I will discuss the advantages and the inconvenience of using ionic liquids in supercapacitors. Some innovative approaches using mixtures of ionic liquids or redox-active ions will also be critically addressed.

Confinement Effects on an Electron Transfer Reaction in Nanoporous Carbon Electrodes

Nanoconfinement generally leads to a drastic effect on the physical and chemical properties of ionic liquids. Here we investigate how the electrochemical reactivity in such media may be impacted inside of nanoporous carbon electrodes. To this end, we study a simple electron transfer reaction using molecular dynamics simulations. The electrodes are held at constant electric potential by allowing the atomic charges on the carbon atoms to fluctuate. We show that the Fe³⁺/Fe²⁺ couple dissolved in an ionic liquid exhibits a deviation with respect to Marcus theory. This behavior is rationalized by the stabilization of a solvation state of the Fe³⁺ cation in the disordered nanoporous electrode that is not observed in the bulk. The simulation results are fitted with a recently proposed two solvation state model, which allows us to estimate the effect of such a deviation on the kinetics of electron transfer inside of nanoporous electrodes.

Nanoarchitectures for Metal-Organic Framework-Derived Nanoporous Carbons toward Supercapacitor Applications

The future advances of supercapacitors depend on the development of novel carbon materials with optimized porous structures, high surface area, high conductivity, and high electrochemical stability. Traditionally, nanoporous carbons (NPCs) have been prepared by a variety of methods, such as templated synthesis, carbonization of polymer precursors, physical and chemical activation, etc. Inorganic solid materials such as mesoporous silica and zeolites have been successfully utilized as templates to prepare NPCs. However, the hard-templating methods typically involve several synthetic steps, such as preparation of the original templates, formation of carbon frameworks, and removal of the original templates. Therefore, these methods are not favorable for large-scale production. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with high surface areas and large pore volumes have been studied over the years, and recently, enormous efforts have been made to utilize MOFs for electrochemical applications. However, their low conductivity and poor stability still present major challenges toward their practical applications in supercapacitors. MOFs can be used as precursors for the preparation of NPCs with high porosity. Their parent MOFs can be prepared with endless combinations of organic and inorganic constituents by simple coordination chemistry, and it is possible to control their porous architectures, pore volumes, surface areas, etc. These unique properties of MOF-derived NPCs make them highly attractive for many technological applications. Compared with carbonaceous materials prepared using conventional precursors, MOF-derived carbons have significant advantages in terms of a simple synthesis with inherent diversity affording precise control over porous architectures, pore volumes, and surface areas. In this Account, we will summarize our recent research developments on the preparation of three-dimensional (3-D) MOF-derived carbons for supercapacitor applications. This Account will be divided into three main sections: (1) useful background on carbon materials for supercapacitor applications, (2) the importance of MOF-derived carbons, and (3) potential future developments of MOF-derived carbons for supercapacitors. This Account focuses mostly on carbons derived from two types of MOFs, namely, zeolite imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) and ZIF-67. By using examples from our previous works, we will show the uniqueness of these carbons for achieving high performance by control of the chemical reactions/conditions as well proper utilization in asymmetric/symmetric supercapacitor configurations. This Account will promote further developments of MOF-derived multifunctional carbon materials with controlled porous architectures for optimization of their electrochemical performance toward supercapacitor applications.

Electric potential calculation in molecular simulation of electric double layer capacitors

For the molecular simulation of electric double layer capacitors (EDLCs), a number of methods have been proposed and implemented to determine the one-dimensional electric potential profile between the two electrodes at a fixed potential difference. In this work, we compare several of these methods for a model LiClO4-acetonitrile/graphite EDLC simulated using both the traditional fixed-charged method (FCM), in which a fixed charge is assigned a priori to the electrode atoms, or the recently developed constant potential method (CPM) (2007 J. Chem. Phys. 126 084704), where the electrode charges are allowed to fluctuate to keep the potential fixed. Based on an analysis of the full three-dimensional electric potential field, we suggest a method for determining the averaged one-dimensional electric potential profile that can be applied to both the FCM and CPM simulations. Compared to traditional methods based on numerically solving the one-dimensional Poisson's equation, this method yields better accuracy and no supplemental assumptions.

A comparative study of room temperature ionic liquids and their organic solvent mixtures near charged electrodes

The structural properties of electrolytes consisting of solutions of ionic liquids in a polar solvent at charged electrode surfaces are investigated using classical atomistic simulations. The studied electrolytes consisted of tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate (NEt4-BF4), 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (c2mim-BF4) and 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (c8mim-BF4) salts dissolved in acetonitrile solvent. We discuss the influence of electrolyte concentration, chemical structure of the ionic salt, temperature, conducting versus semiconducting nature of the electrode, electrode geometry and surface roughness on the electric double layer structure and capacitance and compare these properties with those obtained for pure room temperature ionic liquids. We show that electrolytes consisting of solutions of ions can behave quite differently from pure ionic liquid electrolytes.

Can ionophobic nanopores enhance the energy storage capacity of electric-double-layer capacitors containing nonaqueous electrolytes?

The ionophobicity effect of nanoporous electrodes on the capacitance and the energy storage capacity of nonaqueous-electrolyte supercapacitors is studied by means of the classical density functional theory (DFT). It has been hypothesized that ionophobic nanopores may create obstacles in charging, but they store energy much more efficiently than ionophilic pores. In this study, we find that, for both ionic liquids and organic electrolytes, an ionophobic pore exhibits a charging behavior different from that of an ionophilic pore, and that the capacitance-voltage curve changes from a bell shape to a two-hump camel shape when the pore ionophobicity increases. For electric-double-layer capacitors containing organic electrolytes, an increase in the ionophobicity of the nanopores leads to a higher capacity for energy storage. Without taking into account the effects of background screening, the DFT predicts that an ionophobic pore containing an ionic liquid does not enhance the supercapacitor performance within the practical voltage ranges. However, by using an effective dielectric constant to account for ion polarizability, the DFT predicts that, like an organic electrolyte, an ionophobic pore with an ionic liquid is also able to increase the energy stored when the electrode voltage is beyond a certain value. We find that the critical voltage for an enhanced capacitance in an ionic liquid is larger than that in an organic electrolyte. Our theoretical predictions provide further understanding of how chemical modification of porous electrodes affects the performance of supercapacitors.

Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Bismuth Telluride Exfoliation Mechanisms in Different Ionic Liquid Solvents

Bismuth telluride (Bi₂Te₃) is a well-known thermoelectric material with potential applications in several different emerging technologies. The bulk structure is composed of stacks of quintuple sheets (with weak interactions between neighboring sheets), and the performance of the material can be significantly enhanced if exfoliated into two-dimensional nanosheets. In this study, eight different imidazolium-based ionic liquids are evaluated as solvents for the exfoliation and dispersion of Bi₂Te₃ at temperatures ranging from 350 to 550 K. Three distinct exfoliation mechanisms are evaluated (pulling, shearing, and peeling) using steered molecular dynamics simulations, and we predict that the peeling mechanism is thermodynamically the most favorable route. Furthermore, the [Tf₂N^-]-based ionic liquids are particularly effective at enhancing the exfoliation, and this performance can be correlated to the unique molecular-level solvation structures developed at the Bi₂Te₃ surfaces. This information helps provide insight into the molecular origins of exfoliation and solvation involving Bi₂Te₃ (and possibly other layered chalcogenide materials) and ionic liquid solvents.

Dense ionic fluids confined in planar capacitors: in- and out-of-plane structure from classical density functional theory

The ongoing scientific interest in the properties and structure of electric double layers (EDLs) stems from their pivotal role in (super)capacitive energy storage, energy harvesting, and water treatment technologies. Classical density functional theory (DFT) is a promising framework for the study of the in- and out-of-plane structural properties of double layers. Supported by molecular dynamics simulations, we demonstrate the adequate performance of DFT for analyzing charge layering in the EDL perpendicular to the electrodes. We discuss charge storage and capacitance of the EDL and the impact of screening due to dielectric solvents. We further calculate, for the first time, the in-plane structure of the EDL within the framework of DFT. While our out-of-plane results already hint at structural in-plane transitions inside the EDL, which have been observed recently in simulations and experiments, our DFT approach performs poorly in predicting in-plane structure in comparison to simulations. However, our findings isolate fundamental issues in the theoretical description of the EDL within the primitive model and point towards limitations in the performance of DFT in describing the out-of-plane structure of the EDL at high concentrations and potentials.

Characterization of the Electric Double Layer Formation Dynamics of a Metal/Ionic Liquid/Metal Structure

Although ionic liquids (ILs) have been used extensively in recent years as a high-capacitance "dielectric" in electric double layer transistors, the dynamics of the double layer formation have remained relatively unexplored. Better understanding of the dynamics and relaxation processes involved in electric double layer formation will guide device optimization, particularly with regard to switching speed. In this paper, we explore the dynamical characteristics of an IL in a metal/ionic liquid/metal (M/IL/M) capacitor. In particular, we examine a Au/IL/Au structure where the IL is 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium tris(pentafluoroethyl)trifluorophosphate. The experiments consist of frequency-dependent impedance measurements and time-dependent current vs voltage measurements for applied linear voltage ramps and abrupt voltage steps. The parameters of an equivalent circuit model are determined by fits to the impedance vs frequency data and subsequently verified by calculating the current vs voltage characteristics for the applied potential profiles. The data analysis indicates that the dynamics of the structure are characterized by a wide distribution of relaxation times spanning the range of less than microseconds to longer than seconds. Possible causes for these time scales are discussed.

Carbon nanotube modification of microbial fuel cell electrodes

The use of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) for energy harvesting devices is preferable due to their unique mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties. On the other hand, microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are promising devices to recover carbon-neutral energy from the organic matters, and have been hindered with major setbacks towards commercialization. Nanoengineered CNT-based materials show remarkable electrochemical properties, and therefore have provided routes towards highly effective modification of MFC compartments to ultimately reach the theoretical limits of biomass energy recovery, low-cost power production, and thus the commercialization of MFCs. Moreover, these CNT-based composites offer significant flexibility in the design of MFCs that enable their use for a broad spectrum of applications ranging from scaled-up power generation to medically related devices. This article reviews the recent advances in the modification of MFCs using CNTs and CNT-based composites, and the extent to which each modification route impacts MFC power and current generation.