title: Recycling of typical supercapacitor materials.
abstract: A simple, facile and low-cost method for recycling of supercapacitor materials is proposed. This process aims to recover some fundamental components of a used supercapacitor, namely the electrolyte salt tetraethyl ammonium tetrafluoroborate (TEABF4) dissolved in an aprotic organic solvent such as acetonitrile (ACN), the carbonaceous material (activated charcoal, carbon nanotubes) purified, the current collector (aluminium foil) and the separator (paper) for further utilization. The method includes mechanical shredding of the supercapacitor in order to reduce its size, and separation of aluminium foil and paper from the carbonaceous resources containing TEABF4 by sieving. The extraction of TEABF4 from the carbonaceous material was based on its solubility in water and subsequent separation through filtering and distillation. A cyclic voltammetry curve of the recycled carbonaceous material revealed supercapacitor behaviour allowing a potential reutilization. Furthermore, as BF4(-) stemming from TEABF4 can be slowly hydrolysed in an aqueous environment, thus releasing F(-) anions, which are hazardous, we went on to their gradual trapping with calcium acetate and conversion to non-hazardous CaF2.
authors: Institute of Nanoscience & Nanotechnology, 'Demokritos', Ag. Paraskevi, Attikis, Greece.
authors: Eleni C
authors: EC
authors: Vermisoglou
authors: Institute of Nanoscience & Nanotechnology, 'Demokritos', Ag. Paraskevi, Attikis, Greece.
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Giannouri
authors: Institute of Nanoscience & Nanotechnology, 'Demokritos', Ag. Paraskevi, Attikis, Greece.
authors: Nadia
authors: N
authors: Todorova
authors: Institute of Nanoscience & Nanotechnology, 'Demokritos', Ag. Paraskevi, Attikis, Greece.
authors: Tatiana
authors: T
authors: Giannakopoulou
authors: Division of Mechanical, Medical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK.
authors: Constantina
authors: C
authors: Lekakou
authors: Institute of Nanoscience & Nanotechnology, 'Demokritos', Ag. Paraskevi, Attikis, Greece c.trapalis@inn.demokritos.gr.
authors: Christos
authors: C
authors: Trapalis
mesh_terms: D000085:Acetates / Q000737:chemistry; D000097:Acetonitriles / Q000737:chemistry; D000535:Aluminum; D001881:Borates / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D017610:Calcium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D002606:Charcoal; D005591:Chemical Fractionation; D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D059027:Recycling / Q000379:methods*; D062611:Solid Waste; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates; D000097:Acetonitriles; D001881:Borates; D017610:Calcium Compounds; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; D062611:Solid Waste; D012997:Solvents; D002606:Charcoal; D000535:Aluminum; C120662:calcium acetate; C032159:acetonitrile
keywords: Recycling; acetonitrile; activated charcoal; aluminium; paper; separation; supercapacitor; tetraethyl ammonium tetrafluoroborate