New concept of in situ carbide-derived carbon/xerogel nanocomposite materials for electrochemical capacitor

Carbide derived carbon/xerogel nanocomposites were prepared by chlorine etching titanium carbide xerogel which was synthesized via sol–gel technique using titanium isopropoxide as titanium source and sucrose as carbon precursor, followed by carbothermal reduction process. As-prepared nanocomposites possessed not only three-dimensional network inherited from titanium carbide xerogel but uniform micropores derived from TiC parent. The superior rate capability in organic electrolyte was found with capacitance retention ratio of 85% at 10 Ag−1 as compared to that of conventional carbide derived carbon. Such results could be associated with the advantageous architectures of nanocomposites, which were preferred in decreasing ion transfer resistance, shortening diffusion distance as well as improving electron conductivity.