ELECTROCHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF ORGANIC LIQUID ELECTROLYTES BASED ON QUATERNARY ONIUM SALTS FOR ELECTRICAL DOUBLE-LAYER CAPACITORS

The electrolytic conductivities and limiting reduction and oxidation potentials for various organic liquid electrolytes based on quaternary onium salts have been measured to find better electrolytes for electrical double-layer capacitors. An electrolyte composed of tetraethylammonium cation, tetrafluoroborate anion, and propylene carbonate solvent showed well-balanced performance of high electrolytic conductivity, a wide stable potential window and resistance to hydrolysis. Among quaternary onium salts, triethylmethylammonium, ethylmethylpyrrolidinium, and tetramethylenepyrrolidinium tetrafluoroborate salts exhibited higher electrolytic conductivity than the conventional tetraethylammonium salt due to their much greater solubility.