Preparation and Electrochemical Performances of Copper-Containing Activated Carbon for Electrochemical Capacitor

Various activated carbons were prepared without additives and in the presence of Cu-containing compounds from bituminous coal.Then the electrodes prepared from copper oxide,activated carbon and copper-containing activated carbons,respectively,were characterized by cyclic voltammetry,alternative current(AC) impedance and charge-discharge at constant current,and the mechanism of copper-doped activated carbon electrode was discussed as well.The results show that the proper content of copper in activated carbon will positively influence the electrochemical performances of electrodes,which carry out greater power,higher capacity and lower impedance.The activated carbon containing 20% copper can be discharged in big current,and the specific capacitance of activated carbon containing 40% copper can reach 92.5 F/g,which is 2.35 times of that of the activated carbon without copper prepared under the same condition.