Surface modification of nanoporous carbon using gamma irradiation treatment as supercapacitor material

Abstract

Nanoporous carbons, due to high specific surface area and high pore accessibility, have been utilized as material electrode supercapacitors. To obtain high power and energy densities, it is necessary to introduce functional groups of the carbon surface. In this research, the effect of gamma irradiation to modify surface chemistry of nanoporous carbon synthesized from coconut shell was examined. Alterations of surface chemistry were studied by using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), surface morphology by scanning electron microscopy and textural pore changes were determined by nitrogen sorption analysis. The results showed that after irradiation, oxygen functional groups increased and reached optimum point at radiation dose 25 kGy. While the specific surface area of nanoporous carbon decreased after subjected to irradiation. Cyclic Voltammetry (CV) was employed to analyze the capacitive behavior of nanoporous carbon. CV measurements showed an improvement in specific capacitance for the irradiated nanoporous carbon. The highest specific capacitance of 121 F/g was achieved at radiation dose 25 kGy.