Enhanced electrochemical performance of carbonized porous organic polymers towards supercapacitor application

Abstract

To develop a functional supercapacitor with enhanced electrochemical activity, it is essential to explore electrode materials that exhibit good conductivity and capacitance. This study investigates the development of supercapacitor electrodes based on porous organic polymers (POP-O and POP-S) and their carbonized counterparts (C-POP-O and C-POP-S). The structural transformation from amorphous to partially graphitic carbon material is confirmed by Raman analysis. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) revealed significant morphological changes, with the carbonized materials exhibiting more defined structures contributing to improved electrochemical performance. Electrochemical tests, including cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD), show that the carbonized form of these materials can significantly increase the current density, specific capacitance, and charge-transfer efficiency. Among the synthesized materials, C-POP-O exhibits the highest specific capacitance of 47.43 F g-1 at 1 A g-1 with excellent GCD cyclic stability, by retaining 96% capacitance from its starting capacitance after 5000 GCD cycles, indicating its potential as a high-performance electrode. These findings highlight the potential of carbonized porous organic polymers, particularly C-POP-O, as high-performance electrodes for next-generation supercapacitors.