Tetramethylammonium difluoro(oxalato)borate dissolved in ethylene/propylene carbonates as electrolytes for electrochemical capacitors

Tetramethyl ammonium difluoro(oxalato)borate (TMADFOB) dissolved in the mixed solvents of ethylene and propylene carbonates (EC/PC) instead of neat PC have been proposed as the electrolyte solutions for electrochemical capacitors. The ionic conductivity of 1 M TMADFOB-EC/PC electrolyte solutions has been measured. It climbs up monotonously as EC content increases. Accordingly, the power density of electric double-layer capacitors is enhanced with certain EC addition. The optimum EC content for the power of EDLCs is about 30 volume percentage in the mixed EC/PC solvents. This tendency has been testified by impedance study. The electrochemical behavior of activated carbon/graphite capacitors using these electrolyte solutions has also been studied by galvanostatic charge-discharge test and the charge storage mechanism at the graphite positive electrode has been investigated by in situ XRD and ex situ Raman. The effect of EC addition on DFOB− intercalation into graphite has also been addressed at both room and elevated temperatures.