Supercapacitors&Batteries

I. Customer Pain Points

High-end energy storage equipment manufacturers (supercapacitors, lithium-ion batteries) face three core challenges: insufficient electrode material purity, electrolyte impurities, and short cycle life. These challenges directly threaten product performance and market competitiveness.
Insufficient Electrode Material Purity and Rapid Capacity Decay: Activated carbon used in supercapacitor electrodes (specific surface area <1500m²/g) contains ash (>5%) and heavy metals (iron 0.01-0.1mg/g), leading to decreased electrode conductivity and a capacity decay rate >20%/1000 cycles (industry standard ≤10%/1000 cycles). One supercapacitor manufacturer suffered losses exceeding 5 million yuan due to product returns from a new energy vehicle company caused by insufficient activated carbon purity.

Electrolyte impurities interfere with internal resistance, increasing internal resistance. Lithium-ion battery electrolytes contain water (>50ppm) and organic acids (acetic acid, >10ppm). Traditional "molecular sieve dehydration" cannot remove low concentrations of organic acids, leading to a decrease in electrolyte conductivity (<10mS/cm), an increase in internal resistance (>100mΩ), and a 30% reduction in cycle life (from 2000 cycles to 1400 cycles).

High-cost electrode materials result in weak price competitiveness.

Imported activated carbon for supercapacitors (specific surface area ≥2500m²/g, ash content ≤0.1%) costs as much as 200 yuan/kg, four times the price of domestically produced ordinary activated carbon (50 yuan/kg). Due to excessively high costs, one energy storage equipment company's product prices were 20% higher than its competitors, resulting in a 15% decrease in market share. Environmental compliance pressures are high, and hazardous waste disposal is difficult. Sludge containing activated carbon powder is generated during electrode material production (yield 50-100 kg/ton of electrodes), which is classified as hazardous waste (HW49), with disposal costs ≥ 2000 RMB/ton—one battery factory's annual hazardous waste disposal costs exceed 1 million RMB, accounting for 8% of its total operating costs.

II. Application Objectives

High-end energy storage equipment manufacturers adopt activated carbon for four core objectives, focusing on "performance improvement, cost reduction, compliance, and lifespan extension": Improving electrode material purity and reducing capacity decay. By using ultra-high specific surface area activated carbon (specific surface area ≥ 2500 m²/g, ash content ≤ 0.1%) as a supercapacitor electrode material, the capacity decay rate is reduced to < 10%/1000 cycles, meeting the high-end demands of new energy vehicles and smart grids—after using it, one supercapacitor factory saw its product cycle life increase from 1500 cycles to 2500 cycles, and its market share increase by 10%. Removing impurities from the electrolyte and reducing internal resistance: Modified activated carbon (supported molecular sieve) adsorbs moisture (<10ppm) and organic acids (acetic acid <5ppm) in the lithium-ion battery electrolyte, increasing the electrolyte conductivity to >12mS/cm, reducing internal resistance to <50mΩ, and extending cycle life by 30% (from 2000 cycles to 2600 cycles).

Reducing electrode material costs and enhancing price competitiveness: Our independently developed coal-based ultra-high specific surface area activated carbon (specific surface area ≥2500m²/g, ash content ≤0.1%) costs only 60% of imported products (120 RMB/kg vs 200 RMB/kg). After using it, a supercapacitor factory, a client of Shanxi Xinhua Carbon Technology, saw a 15% price reduction and its market share increase from 10% to 18%. Reduce Hazardous Waste Production and Lower Disposal Costs: Activated carbon technology replaces traditional chemical precipitation, reducing sludge production by 60% (to 20-40 kg/ton of electrode), and lowering hazardous waste disposal costs from 1 million RMB/year to 400,000 RMB/year, a 60% reduction.

III. Application Significance

The application of activated carbon in high-end energy storage equipment manufacturing is a core support for enterprises' "performance breakthrough + cost leadership + compliant survival": Performance Breakthrough: Globally, 60% of supercapacitors are returned due to "insufficient electrode purity." Ultra-high specific surface area activated carbon is one of the few technologies that can simultaneously increase specific surface area (≥2500 m²/g) and reduce ash content (≤0.1%), directly determining the product's "cycle life" (e.g., after one factory used it, the cycle life increased from 1500 cycles to 2500 cycles). Cost Leadership: Imported activated carbon is four times more expensive than domestically produced activated carbon. A customer of Shanxi Xinhua Carbon Technology, an energy storage company, reduced its costs by 40% and product prices by 15% after using its independently developed coal-based ultra-high specific surface area activated carbon, resulting in an 8% increase in market share.

Compliance and Survival: In 2022, 55% of hazardous waste penalties in the energy storage industry were due to "improper disposal of activated carbon sludge." Activated carbon processes reduce sludge production by 60%, directly avoiding the risk of "production shutdown and rectification" (one company was shut down for two months due to hazardous waste issues, incurring losses exceeding 8 million yuan).

IV. Application History

The application of activated carbon in the manufacturing of high-end energy storage equipment has deepened with the "explosive growth in energy storage demand + upgrading of performance requirements":

1990s: Initial Stage. Maxwell Technologies in the United States first used coconut shell-based activated carbon (specific surface area 1500 m²/g) as an electrode material for supercapacitors, achieving a capacity density of 5 Wh/kg, becoming the world's first commercially available activated carbon-based supercapacitor.

V. Mechanism of Action

Activated carbon addresses the issues of "electrode purity, electrolyte impurities, and high cost" in high-end energy storage devices through a triple mechanism of "ultra-high specific surface area adsorption + chemical modification + pore control":

1. Physical Adsorption: High-Capacity Storage through Pore Structure
Micropores (<2nm): Accounting for 80% of the total pore volume (specifically designed for supercapacitors), they store charge through the electric double-layer effect, achieving a specific surface area of ​​2500-3000 m²/g (twice that of ordinary activated carbon), increasing capacity density to >10Wh/kg (industry standard ≥5Wh/kg).

Mesopores (2-50nm): Serving as "ion transport channels," they allow electrolyte ions (Li⁺≈0.3nm) to rapidly diffuse into the micropores, reducing internal resistance (<50mΩ).

Macropores (>50nm): Serving as "buffer space," they reduce electrode volume expansion (<5%), extending cycle life.

2. Chemical Modification: "Precise Purification" of Surface Functional Groups
Electrolyte Purification: Molecular sieves (zeolites) supported on the activated carbon surface selectively adsorb and remove moisture (<10ppm) and organic acids (acetic acid <5ppm) from the electrolyte, increasing conductivity to >12mS/cm (industry standard ≥10mS/cm).

Ash Reduction: Through acid washing (5% HCl) + high-temperature activation (1000℃), the ash content of activated carbon is reduced from >5% to ≤0.1%, improving electrode conductivity by 30% (resistivity <0.1Ω·cm).

3. Synergistic Regeneration: A "Key Step" in Cost Reduction
Activated carbon in electrode waste is regenerated through high-temperature activation (1000℃, N₂ protection), restoring the specific surface area to 85% of that of new carbon, at only 40% of the cost. A battery factory, a client of Shanxi Xinhua Carbon Technology, experienced a 30% reduction in electrode material costs after using this method.

VI. Application Methods

High-end energy storage equipment manufacturers employ a combined process of "ultra-high specific surface area activated carbon electrode + modified activated carbon electrolyte purification," covering all scenarios for "supercapacitors and lithium-ion batteries":

1. Supercapacitor Electrode Preparation: Coal-based ultra-high specific surface area activated carbon

Applicable Scenarios: Supercapacitors for new energy vehicles and smart grids (requiring a cycle life ≥ 2500 cycles).

Process Steps:

Raw Material Pretreatment: Anthracite → Crushing (particle size < 5mm) → Acid washing (5% HCl, to remove ash).

High-Temperature Activation: KOH activation (KOH/coal = 4:1) → 1000℃ N₂ protected activation → Water washing (to remove K⁺) → Drying (100℃, 2 hours).

Electrode Forming: Activated carbon powder + binder (PTFE) → Coating with aluminum foil → Press forming (thickness 0.2mm) → Electrode specific surface area ≥ 2500m²/g, ash content ≤ 0.1%.

2. Lithium-ion Battery Electrolyte Purification: Modified Activated Carbon Adsorption Column

Applicable Scenarios: Power battery electrolyte (requires moisture <10ppm, organic acid <5ppm).

Process Steps:
Electrolyte → Modified activated carbon adsorption column (filled with coal-based carbon loaded with molecular sieves, Φ3-6mm) → Flow rate 0.5-1.0m/s → Outlet moisture <10ppm, acetic acid <5ppm, conductivity >12mS/cm.

VII. Application Process

Taking a supercapacitor factory (annual production of 1 million units, for new energy vehicles, cycle life requirement ≥2500 cycles) of a client of Shanxi Xinhua Carbon Technology as an example:

Electrode Preparation: Anthracite → Crushing → Acid washing (5% HCl) → KOH activation (1000℃, N₂) → Water washing → Drying → PTFE coating → Pressing → Electrode specific surface area 2500m²/g, ash content 0.08%.

Cell Assembly: Electrode → Separator (Celgard 2500) → Electrolyte (1M Et₄NBF₄/PC) → Encapsulation → Aging (24 hours, 60℃).

Electrolyte Purification: Electrolyte → Modified Activated Carbon Adsorption Column (2 units, 5 tons of carbon per unit, Φ3-6mm) → Flow Rate 0.8m/s → Outlet Moisture <10ppm, Acetic Acid <5ppm.

Performance Testing: Cycle Life Test → Capacity Decay Rate <10%/1000 Cycles → Product Qualification Rate Increased from 70% to 98%.

VIII. Application Effects

After the upgrade, a supercapacitor factory saw significant improvements in core indicators (based on actual operating data from a client of Shanxi Xinhua Carbon Technology):

Indicators	Before renovation (imported coconut shell charcoal)	After modification (coal-based ultra-high specific surface area carbon)	Increase/Decrease	Compliance Status
Specific Surface Area (m²/g)	1500	2500	66.7% Increase	Industry Standard ≥ 1500
Ash Content (%)	0.5	0.08	84% Decrease	EU 2023/1542
Capacity Decay Rate (%/1000 cycles)	20	8	60% Decrease	Industry Standard ≤ 10
Cycle Life (cycles)	1500	2500	66.7% Increase	New Energy Vehicle Demand
Electrode Material Cost (RMB/kg)	200	120	40% Decrease	—
Market Share (%)	10	18	80% Increase	—

IX. Core Advantages

Customized solutions for high-end energy storage equipment manufacturers possess four irreplaceable advantages:
Highly Targeted Products, Matching Energy Storage Needs:Our independently developed coal-based ultra-high specific surface area activated carbon (specific surface area ≥ 2500 m²/g, ash content ≤ 0.1%) is specifically designed for supercapacitor electrodes, achieving a capacity density > 10Wh/kg (twice that of imported coconut shell activated carbon). Modified activated carbon (loaded molecular sieve) precisely purifies the electrolyte, with moisture < 10 ppm, organic acid < 5 ppm, and conductivity > 12 mS/cm.

Cost Leadership, Strong Price Competitiveness:The cost of our coal-based activated carbon is 60% of imported products (120 RMB/kg vs. 200 RMB/kg). After using our products, a customer of Shanxi Xinhua Carbon Technology, an energy storage company, saw a 15% price reduction and an 8% increase in market share.

Compliant and Reliable, Fully Certified: Products have passed IEC 62391-1 (supercapacitor standard), EU 2023/1542 (battery regulation), and UL 810A (energy storage safety) certifications, fully meeting global energy storage industry standards.

Stable Performance and Long Cycle Life: Electrode capacity decay rate <10%/1000 cycles (industry standard ≤10%), cycle life ≥2500 cycles (requirements for new energy vehicles). After using these products, a supercapacitor factory, a client of Shanxi Xinhua Carbon Technology, saw its product qualification rate increase from 70% to 98%.

X. Cost Analysis

A cost comparison between activated carbon technology and imported technology, using a supercapacitor factory with an annual production capacity of 1 million units as an example:

Project	Coal-based ultra-high specific surface area carbonization process	Imported coconut shell charcoal process
Initial Investment (RMB 10,000)	500-800	800-1200
Electrode Material Cost (RMB/kg)	120	200
Maintenance Cost (RMB 10,000/year)	50-100	100-150
Life Cycle Cost (RMB/kg)	150-200	250-300
Hazardous Waste Disposal Cost (RMB 10,000/year)	40	100

 XI. Why Choose Us?

Performance Endorsement: Our activated carbon, characterized by "high specific surface area and low ash content," has received consistent praise. A supercapacitor manufacturer, a client of Shanxi Xinhua Carbon Technology, saw its specific surface area increase from 1500 m²/g to 2500 m²/g and its cycle life increase from 1500 cycles to 2500 cycles after using our coal-based ultra-high specific surface area activated carbon, resulting in an 8% increase in market share.

Technical Strength: We optimize pore structure to meet the needs of supercapacitors, developing "coal-based activated carbon (specific surface area 2500 m²/g, ash content 0.08%)" and "modified carbon with loaded molecular sieves," achieving a capacity density >10Wh/kg, addressing the "high cost" pain point of imported carbon.

Global Service: We have production bases in Shanxi, Ningxia, and Fujian (annual capacity of 45,000 tons), supporting "customized production + localized delivery." For overseas clients, we provide a full-process service including "activated carbon selection + electrode process design + compliance certification," ensuring a response time within 72 hours.