Activated carbon and single-walled carbon nanotube based electrochemical capacitor in 1 M LiPF6 electrolyte

•Activated carbon and single-walled CNT based electrochemical capacitor.•Electrochemical analysis by means of CV, charge/discharge and impedance.•1 M LiPF6 non-aqueous solution as an electrolyte.•AC/SWCNT electrode exhibits a maximum capacitance of 60.97 F g−1.

Carbon nanotubes have been extensively studied because of their wide range of potential application such as in nanoscale electric circuits, textiles, transportation, health, and the environment. Carbon nanotubes feature extraordinary properties, such as electrical conductivities higher than those of copper, hardness and thermal conductivity higher than those of diamond, and strength surpassing that of steel, among others. This research focuses on the fabrication of an energy storage device, namely, an electrochemical capacitor, by using carbon materials, i.e., activated carbon and single-walled carbon nanotubes, of a specific weight ratio as electrode materials. The electrolyte functioning as an ion carrier is 1 M lithium hexafluorophosphate. Variations in the electrochemical performance of the device, including its capacitance, charge/discharge characteristics, and impedance, are reported in this paper. The electrode proposed in this work exhibits a maximum capacitance of 60.97 F g−1 at a scan rate of 1 mV s−1.

Graphical abstractFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide