Partially graphitic micro- and mesoporous carbon microspheres for supercapacitors

Partially graphitic micro- and mesoporous carbon microspheres (GMMCMs) were synthesized using hydrothermal emulsion polymerization followed by KOH activation and catalytic graphitization. The resulting GMMCMs show micro- and mesopores with a specific surface area of 1113 m(2)/g, regular spherical shape with diameters of 0.5-1.0 mu m and a partially graphitic structure with a low internal resistance of 0.34 Omega. The graphitic carbons as electrode for supercapacitor exhibit a fast ion-transport and rapid charge-discharge feature, and a high-rate electrochemical performance. The typical GMMCM electrode shows a specific capacitance of 220 F/g at 1.0 A/g, and 185 F/g under a high current density of 20.0 A/g in a 6 mol/L KOH electrolyte. (C) 2013 Li-Hua Gan. Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Chinese Chemical Society. All rights reserved.