Leveraging 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ionic liquid as high-performance electrolyte for supercapacitors at different temperatures
摘要
Ionic liquids (ILs) have emerged as a promising class of flexible, environmentally benign electrolytes for next-generation energy storage systems. In this study, we present a novel strategy employing the imidazolium-based ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([BMIM]Cl) as a cost-effective and corrosion-resistant electrolyte for electrochemical capacitors (ECs) utilizing activated carbon electrodes. The physicochemical and electrochemical characteristics of [BMIM]Cl including thermal stability, electrical conductivity, viscosity, and electrochemical behavior were systematically evaluated over a temperature range from ambient conditions to 373.15 K. The resulting EC exhibited exceptional electrochemical stability with an operational voltage window of up to 3 V. Notably, the specific capacitance of the [BMIM]Cl-based system decreased from 151.67 F g⁻1 at room temperature to 71.59 F g⁻1 at elevated temperatures, while achieving a maximum energy density of 189.84 Wh kg⁻1 at 100 °C. Moreover, the supercapacitor demonstrated impressive cycling durability, retaining 87.4% of its capacitance after 10,000 cycles at 100 °C. These findings underscore the potential of [BMIM]Cl as a non-toxic, sustainable, and high-voltage electrolyte, paving the way for the development of advanced, long-lifespan electrochemical capacitors.