Roles of gel polymer electrolytes for high-power activated carbon supercapacitors: ion reservoir and binder-like effects

Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and differential information of galvanostatic curves reveals that the increased rate-capability is derived dominantly by an improved non-faradaic process by the ion reservoir effect of GPEs in the AC. Although the designed GPEs induce slightly higher bulk and diffusion resistance at the incipient stage, the GPEs play a binder-like function to suppress detachment of AC particles and aggravation of impedance parameters during cycling at 3.4 V.