Waste Tire-Derived Carbon Composite Supercapacitor Electrode
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current supercapacitor electrodes face limitations due to poor energy density and limited cycle life, particularly with activated carbon materials, which suffer from structural breakdown and capacitance loss despite efforts to enhance performance with pseudocapacitive materials like organic redox polymers.
Innovation Solution
A method is developed to create a supercapacitor electrode using waste tires, involving sulfonation, pyrolysis, activation, and polymerization to produce a redox-active polymer-coated, activated tire-derived carbon composite with enhanced specific surface area and conductivity, forming a flexible film that retains capacitance over 10,000 cycles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If activated carbon materials are used as supercapacitor electrodes, then high specific surface area and good conductivity are achieved, but structural breakdown and capacitance loss occur after extended cycling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite structure where redox-active polymer molecules are deposited onto activated carbon electrodes. This composite combines the high surface area and conductivity of activated carbon with the pseudocapacitive properties and structural stability of the polymer, preventing structural breakdown during cycling while maintaining electrochemical performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the porous structure of activated carbon and enhances it through chemical activation processes. The developed porosity provides high specific surface area for electrolyte access while the porous framework maintains structural integrity during charge-discharge cycles, preventing collapse and degradation.
2Quantity of substance
If pseudocapacitive materials like organic redox polymers are added to enhance energy density, then capacitance increases, but structural breakdown and capacitance loss still occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent forms a composite where redox-active polymer molecules are deposited onto activated carbon electrodes. This composite combines the high surface area and conductivity of activated carbon with the pseudocapacitive properties and structural stability of the polymer, preventing structural breakdown during cycling while maintaining electrochemical performance.
3Ease of manufacture
If waste tires are used as carbon source, then cost reduction and environmental benefit are achieved, but carbon recovery process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts waste tires, which are environmental hazards requiring landfill disposal, into valuable carbon precursors for supercapacitor electrodes. The multi-step process including sulfonation, pyrolysis, and activation transforms the harmful waste material into a beneficial carbon source with high surface area and desirable electrochemical properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs parameter changes including temperature control during pyrolysis (heating to high temperatures in inert atmosphere), chemical treatment during activation (contacting with activating agents), and pH control during sulfonation to optimize the carbon structure and surface properties for electrochemical performance.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The approach results in a supercapacitor with high capacitance retention and improved energy density, with electrodes maintaining over 95% capacitance after 10,000 cycles and exhibiting conductivities suitable for flexible energy storage devices.
Implementation Method 1
contacting the rubber pieces with a sulfonation bath to produce sulfonated rubber
Implementation Method 2
pyrolyzing the sulfonated rubber to produce tire-derived carbon composite
Implementation Method 3
activating the tire-derived carbon composite by contacting the tire-derived carbon composite with a specific surface area-increasing composition to increase the specific surface area of the carbon composite
Implementation Method 4
mixing the activated tire-derived carbon composite with a monomer and polymerizing the monomer to produce a redox-active polymer coated, activated tire-derived carbon composite
Data Source
AI summary
A method of making a supercapacitor from waste tires, includes the steps of providing rubber pieces and contacting the rubber pieces with a sulfonation bath to produce sulfonated rubber; pyrolyzing the sulfonated rubber to produce a tire-derived carbon composite comprising carbon black embedded in rubber-derived carbon matrix comprising graphitized interface portions; activating the tire-derived carbon composite by contacting the tire-derived carbon composite with a specific surface area-increasing composition to increase the specific surface area of the carbon composite to provide an activated tire-derived carbon composite; and, mixing the activated tire-derived carbon composite with a monomer and polymerizing the monomer to produce a redox-active polymer coated, activated tire-derived carbon composite. The redox-active polymer coated, activated tire-derived carbon composite can be formed into a film. An electrode and a supercapacitor are also disclosed.