Role of surface chemistry on electric double layer capacitance of carbon materials

A large number of porous carbon materials with different properties in terms of porosity, surface chemistry and electrical conductivity, were prepared and systematically studied as electric double layer capacitors in aqueous medium with H2SO4 as electrolyte. The precursors used are an anthracite, general purpose carbon fibres and high performance carbon fibres, which were activated by KOH, NaOH, CO2 and steam at different conditions. Among all of them, an activated anthracite with a BET surface area close to 1500 m2/g, presents the best performance, reaching a value of 320 F/g, using a three-electrode system. The results obtained for all the samples, agree with the well-known relationship between capacitance and porosity, and show that the CO-type oxygen groups have a positive contribution to the capacitance. A very good correlation between the specific capacitance and this type of oxygen groups has been found.