Electrochemical performances of electric double layer capacitor with UV-cured gel polymer electrolyte based on poly[(ethylene glycol)diacrylate]-poly(vinylidene fluoride) blend

Poly(ethylene glycol)diacrylate]-poly(vinylidene fluoride), a gel polymer blend with ethylene carbonate:dimethyl carbonate:ethylmethyl carbonate (EC:DMC:EMC, 1:1:1 volume ratio) and containing 1.0 M of lithium hexafluoro phosphate (LiPF₆) as liquid components, is employed as a gel polymer electrolyte for an electric double layer capacitor (EDLC). Its electrochemical characteristics is compared with that of liquid organic electrolyte mixture of ethylene carbonate, dimethyl carbonate and ethylmethyl carbonate in a 1:1:1 volume ratio containing 1.0 M LiPF₆ salt. The specific surface area of the activated carbon powder as an active material is 1908 m²/g. Liquid poly(ethylene glycol)diacrylate] (PEGDA) oligomer with a high retention capability of liquid electrolytes is cured by UV irradiation and poly(vinylidene fluoride)-hexafluoropropylene (PVdF-HFP) copolymer with a porous structure endows polymer matrix with high mechanical strength.The specific capacitance of EDLC using the gel polymer electrolyte (GPE-EDLC) shows 120 F/g, which is better than the liquid organic electrolyte. Good cycling efficiency is observed for a GPE-EDLC with high retention capability of liquid components. The high specific capacitance and good cycling efficiency are most likely due to the polarization resistance of EDLC with the gel polymer electrolyte, which is lower than the liquid organic electrolyte. This may result from the distinguished adhesion between the activated carbon electrode and the gel polymer electrolyte, as well as high retention capability of liquid components.Power densities of GPE-EDLC and LOE-EDLC shows 1.88 kW/kg and 1.21 kW/kg, respectively. However, the energy densities are low in both electrolytes.The GPE-EDLC exhibits rectangular cyclic voltammogram similar to an ideal EDLC within operating voltage range of 0 V-2.5 V. It should be noted that a region of electric double layer means a wide voltage and a rapid formation. Redox currents of both EDLCs are not observed in the sweep region and the cyclic voltammograms are unchanged on repeated runs. The observed leakage current shows 49 μA after 720 s at a constant voltage of 2.5 V, due to the high ionic conductivity of 1.5 × 10⁻³ S cm⁻¹ during storage time. Swelling and well-developed pore structures of the GPE blend films allow ions and solvents to move easily.