Abstract: | Activated carbon for supercapacitor electrode was prepared from polyaniline using chemical activation with ZnCl2. The morphology, surface chemical composition, and surface area of the as-prepared carbon materials were investigated by scanning electron microscope, atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller measurement, respectively. Electrochemical characteristics were evaluated by cyclic voltammograms, galvanostatic charge/discharge, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy tests in 6.0 mol L?1 KOH aqueous solution. The electrochemical measurements showed that ZnCl2 activation led to better capacitive performances. The activated carbon presented a high-specific gravimetric capacitance of 174 F?g?1, with rectangular cyclic voltammetry curves at a scan rate of 2 mV s?1, and it remained 93% even at a high scan rate of 50 mV s?1. These demonstrated that activated carbon would be a promising electrode material for supercapacitors. |