Activated carbons (ACs) have been used as electrode materials of electric double-layer capacitors (EDLC) due to their high specific surface areas (SSA), stability, and ecological advantages. In order to make high-energy-density ACs for EDLC, petroleum pitch (PP) precarbonized at 500–1000°C in N2 gas for 1 h was used as the electrode material of the EDLC after KOH activation. As the pre-carbonization temperature increased, the SSA, pore volume and gravimetric capacitance tended to decrease, but the crystallinity and electrode density tended to increase, showing a maximum volumetric capacitance at a medium carbonization temperature. Therefore, it was possible to control the crystalline structure, SSA, and pore structure of AC by changing the pre-carbonization temperature. Because the electrode density increased with increasing of the pre-carbonization temperature, the highest volumetric capacitance of 28.4 F/cc was obtained from the PP pre-carbonized at 700°C, exhibiting a value over 150% of that of a commercial AC (MSP-20) for EDLC. Electrochemical activation was observed from the electrodes of PP as they were pre-carbonized at high temperatures above 700°C and then activated by KOH. This process was found to have a significant effect on the specific capacitance and it was demonstrated that the higher charging voltage of EDLC was, the greater the electrochemical activation effect was.

TiO2 thin films for high energy density capacitors were prepared by r.f. magnetron sputtering at room temperature.Flexible PET (Polyethylene terephtalate) substrate was used to maintain the structure of the commercial film capacitors. Theeffects of deposition pressure on the crystallization and electrical properties of TiO2 films were investigated. The crystal structureof TiO2 films deposited on PET substrate at room temperature was unrelated to deposition pressure and showed an amorphousstructure unlike that of films on Si substrate. The grain size and surface roughness of films decreased with increasing depositionpressure due to the difference of mean free path. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis revealed the formation ofchemically stable TiO2 films. The dielectric constant of TiO2 films was significantly changed with deposition pressure. TiO2films deposited at low pressure showed high dissipation factor due to the surface microstructure. The dielectric constant anddissipation factor of films deposited at 70mTorr were found to be 100~120 and 0.83 at 1kHz, respectively. The temperaturedependence of the capacitance of TiO2 films showed the properties of class I ceramic capacitors. TiO2 films deposited at10~30mTorr showed dielectric breakdown at applied voltage of 7V. However, the films of 500~300nm thickness depositedat 50 and 70mTorr showed a leakage current of ~10−8~10−9 A at 100 V.

The electrochemical performances of an asymmetric hybrid capacitor were investigated using LiFePO4 as the positive electrode and active carbon fibers(ACF) as the negative electrode. The electrochemical behaviors of a nonaqueous hybrid capacitor were characterized by constant current charge/discharge test. The specific capacitance using LiFePO4/ACF electrode turned out to be 0.87F/cm2 and the unit cell showed excellent cycling performance. This hybrid capacitor was able to deliver a specific energy as high as 178 Wh/kg at a specific power of 1,068 W/kg.