Activated carbons (ACs) have been used as EDLC (electric double-layer capacitor) electrode materials due to their high specific area, stability, and ecological advantages. In order to prepare ACs with high density and crystallinity, coal tar pitch (CTP) was activated by K2CO3 and the textural and electrochemical properties of the obtained ACs were investigated. Although the CTP ACs formed by K2CO3 activation had much smaller specific surface area and pore volume than did the CTP ACs formed by KOH activation, their volumetric specific capacitance (F/cc) levels as electrode materials for EDLC were comparable due to their higher density and micro-crystallinity. Structural characterization and EDLC-electrode performance were studied with different activation conditions of CTP/K2CO3 ratio, activation temperature, and activation period.

In order to prepare high-quality activated carbons (ACs), coal tar pitch (CTP), and mixtures of CTP and petroleum pitch (PP) were activated with KOH. The ACs prepared by activation of CTP in the range of 700~1000℃ for 1~5 h had very porous textures with large specific surface areas of 2470~3081 m2/g. The optimal activation conditions of CTP were determined as CTP/KOH ratio of 1:4, activation temperature of 900℃, and activation time of 3 h. The obtained AC showed the highest micro-pore volume, and pretty high specific surface area and meso-pore volume. The micro-pore volumes and specific areas of activated mixtures of CTP and PP were similar to each other but the meso-pore volume could be increased. In order to change the degree of crystallinity of precursors before KOH activation process, the CTPs were carbonized in the range of 500~900℃. As the carbonization temperature increased, the specific surface area and pore volume of the activated ACs with the same activation conditions for CTP decreased dramatically. It was demonstrated that the increased pore size distribution of AC electrodes in the range of 1 to 2 nm plays an important role in the performance of electric double-layer capacitor.

Commercial activated-carbon used as the electrode material of an electric double-layer capacitor (EDLC) was posttreated with various acids and alkalis to increase its capacitance. The carbon samples prepared were then heat-treated in order to control the amount of acidic functional groups formed by the acid treatments. Coin-type EDLC cells with two symmetric carbon electrodes were assembled using the prepared carbon materials and an organic electrolyte. The electrochemical performance of the EDLC was measured by galvanostatic charge-discharge, cyclic voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Among the various activated carbons, the carbon electrodes (CSsb800) prepared by the treatments of coconutshell-based carbon activated with NaOH and H3BO5, and then heat treated at 800˚C under a flow of nitrogen gas, showed relatively good electrochemical performance. Although the specific-surface-area of the carbon-electrode material (1,096m2/g) was less than that of pristine activated-carbon (1,122m2/g), the meso-pore volume increased after the combined chemical and heat treatments. The specific capacitance of the EDLC increased from 59.6 to 74.8 F/g (26%) after those post treatments. The equivalent series resistance of EDLC using CSsb800 as electrode was much lower than that of EDLC using pristine activated carbon. Therefore, CSsb800 exhibited superior electrochemical performance at high scan rates due to its low internal resistance.