Molecularly engineered carbon conjugates for electrochemical applications
Part I: Carbon-grafted polymers for electrochemical energy storage in supercapacitors
Carbon-based nanomaterials are key components in energy storage devices. Their functions can be tailored by adjusting or developing new synthesis pathways. Our studies in this area are focused on living radical polymerization techniques, an electrochemically-aided atom transfer radical polymerization (e-ATRP), oxidative radical polymerization, and reversible addition chain transfer polymerization (RAFT) applied for grafting of carbon allotropes such as multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT), graphene and single-walled carbon nanohorns (SWCNH) among other carbons. The main goal of our research is to create new nanocomposites that demonstrate an improved gravimetric capacitance and electrochemical stability, originating from the synergy of a double-layer capacitance of carbon and pseudo-capacitance of redox active polymers. This is mainly own to the covalent linkage between carbon and electrochemically active molecules.