ELECTROSTATIC FIELD DISTRIBUTION AND CHARGE TRANSPORT MODELING IN HIERARCHICAL POROUS CARBON ELECTRODES

Abstract

The need for materials for advanced energy storage systems has brought focus to topologically hierarchical porous carbons as electrodes. They possess interconnected networks of pores, high electrical conductivity, and a high surface area. This research aimed to studied the electric field and charge transport in topologically hierarchical porous carbon electrodes with the help of computer modeling and simulations. For the electric field, studied the effect of the distribution of pore sizes, pore interconnections, and the structure of the electrodes on the local electric field. The transport of charge was studied by coupling electrochemical transport models and analyzing the pathways of ion transport and electron transport. The interspersed hierarchically patterned pores of the carbon electrodes improved uniformity of the electric field and facilitated transport of charge by decreasing the ion transport lag and increasing the accessibility of the electrolyte. Macropores and mesopores improved ion transport, and charge storage was enhanced by micropores. Additionally, optimized pore structure improved charge distribution and decreased lag of system polarization, affecting the overall electrochemical functioning positively. This work contributes to understanding the intricacies of the microstructure of carbon electrodes and permits construction of advanced electrochemical devices that incorporate carbon supercapacitors and batteries