Abstract: Carbon aerogels are promising materials as electrodes for electrical double layer capacitors (EDLCs). An optimum process is presented for synthesis of nanoporous carbon aerogels via pyrolyzing resorcinol-formaldehyde (RF) organic aerogels, which could be cost-effectively manufactured from RF wet gels. The major reactions between resorcinol and formaldehyde include an addition reaction to form hydroxymethyl derivatives (-CH(2)OH), and then a condensation reaction of the hydroxymethyl derivatives (-CH(2)-)- and methylene ether (-CH(2)OCH(2)-) bridged compounds. The textural properties of carbon aerogels obtained were characterized by nitrogen adsorption/desorption analysis and SEM and TEM. The application of the resultant carbon for electrodes of electric double layers capacitor (EDLC) in organic TEABF4/ACN electrolyte indicated that the ESR, as low as 55 mΩ, was smaller than for commercially activated carbons. And EDLC with carbon Aerogel electrodes has an excellent stable more than for commercially activated carbons.
