Surface Functionalized Nanocarbons for Energy Storage

Tailored carbon nanofibers are under development at Florida Atlantic University. These materials exhibit an uncommon double-layer capacitance at high frequencies; this feature makes them desirable for electrochemical capacitor applications. Their power and energy characteristics may be dramatically improved by surface functionalization using processes developed at Inorganic Specialists, Inc. Functional groups are attached which undergo reversible redox reactions (i.e., they provide pseudocapacitance). Preliminary results show that functionalization increases the nanofiber's stored energy by 100 to 400%, and that the energy enhancement occurs at both low and high frequencies.The Phase I objective is to establish that surface-modified nanofibers can be made into exceptional high frequency energy storage materials. The work has two components. 1) High frequency capacitance nanofibers will be tailored with a maximum amount of edge plane sites. This should foster the attachment of a maximum number of energy-enhancing surface groups. 2) Surface functionalization procedures will be further developed, and functionalized nanocarbons will be tested for performance and electrochemical stability. Based on these two studies, an optimized material will be produced; its performance will show the feasibility of functionalized nanofiber materials. ~990036 ~