Chapter 2: Introduction to Low-carbon Supercapacitors: New Prospects

The present chapter reports new prospects for low-carbon supercapacitors as electrode materials in energy storage applications. Among various supercapacitor electrode materials, low-carbon supercapacitors are an excellent aspirant for energy storage applications due to their exceptional qualities, including high energy and power densities, astonishing crystallinity, large porosity, prolonged life-cycle, exceptional chemical and thermal stability, high specific surface area (SSA), and framework diversity. The chapter also addresses how choosing the right separator, current collector, electrode, and electrolyte materials are crucial to the overall performance of the supercapacitor applications. Combining pseudocapacitive materials with electric double-layer supercapacitive (that is, carbon-based) materials is one of the best strategies to boost the supercapacitor’s energy density, while retaining its power density and cyclic stability. The world’s energy dilemma will soon be resolved, thanks in part to the financial viability of the ensuing energy conversion/storage systems. This chapter focuses on low-carbon supercapacitor applications as the need for low-carbon and sustainable energy sources is growing as a result of the ongoing global crisis. The chapter also examines the problems that are now plaguing the development of efficient energy storage devices as well as prospective future developments.