Hierarchical carbon nanotube membrane with high packing density and tunable porous structure for high voltage supercapacitors Original Research Article

We reported the fabrication of a hierarchical carbon nanotube (CNT) membrane by using the 90% granulated double- or triple-walled CNTs and 10% 100 μm long multiwalled CNTs as the linker. The membrane with packing density of 420 kg/m3, excellent electrical conductance and good mechanical strength, functioned as both the electrode and current collector and allowed the weight ratio of CNTs increased up to 45–50% based on the weight of CNT, electrolyte and separator. The granulated double or triple walled CNTs, by the aggregation at high temperature etching using CO2, simultaneously exhibited high surface area and tunable pore structure and high pore volume, and were favorable for the ion transport of organic electrolyte, due to the effect of opening cap or side wall by the CO2. The CNT membrane electrode, exhibited the capacitance of 57.9 F/g and the energy density of 35 W h/kg, as operated at 4 V.