Development of Supercapacitor Using Carbon Nanofibers Synthesized from Ethanol

Abstract

Carbon nanofibers (CNF) were obtained by chemical vapour diposition (CVD), decomposing ethanol over finely dispersed Fe –Ni alloy catalyst at 500°C. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) image reveal that the nanofibers are densely packed. A supercapacitor of configuration “Pt/CNF//30% KOH/Pt” was developed by using purified CNF, a capacitance of 14 F/g (based on weight of active material) was obtained.

Keywords:

• carbon nanofiber
• double layer capacitor
• ethanol
• potassium hydroxide

Acknowledgments

Thanks are due to Birla College and my colleagues of Nanotech Research Lab for providing the necessary support. We also thank to Dr. Michael Neumann‐Spallart of Laboratories de Laboratories de Physique des Solides et de Cristallogenese, C.N.R.S.I., France for his invaluable guidance.