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The present invention relates to a supercapacitor, also known as an electrical double-layer capacitor or ultracapacitor, having electrode material comprising single-wall carbon nanotubes. The carbon nanotubes can be derivatized with functional groups. The electrode material is made by preparing a po

The present invention relates to a supercapacitor, also known as an electrical double-layer capacitor or ultracapacitor, having electrode material comprising single-wall carbon nanotubes. The carbon nanotubes can be derivatized with functional groups. The electrode material is made by preparing a polymer-nanotube suspension comprising polymer and nanotubes, forming the polymer-nanotube suspension into a polymer-nanotube composite of the desired form, carbonizing the polymer-nanotube composite to form a carbonaceous polymer-nanotube material, and activating the material. The supercapacitor includes electrode material comprising activated carbonaceous polymer-nanotube material in contact with current collectors and permeated with an electrolyte, which may be either fluid or solid. In the case of a fluid or compressible electrolyte, an electrolyte-permeable separator or spacer is interposed between the electrodes to keep the electrodes from shorting. The supercapacitor made with electrodes comprising underivatized single-wall carbon nanotubes and polymer that has been carbonized and activated appears to operate as a non-Faradaic supercapacitor.

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What is claimed is: 1. A supercapacitor comprising: (a) at least two electrodes comprising an activated carbonaceous polymer-nanotube material comprising single-wall carbon nanotubes and polymer, wherein the polymer is poly(acrylonitrile-methyl acrylate) copolymer or poly(acrylonitrile-itaconic aci

What is claimed is: 1. A supercapacitor comprising: (a) at least two electrodes comprising an activated carbonaceous polymer-nanotube material comprising single-wall carbon nanotubes and polymer, wherein the polymer is poly(acrylonitrile-methyl acrylate) copolymer or poly(acrylonitrile-itaconic acid-methyl acrylate) copolymer, and wherein the polymer-nanotube material was pyrolyzed and activated; (b) at least two current collectors, each in contact with an electrode, wherein the current collector comprises a conducting material; and (c) an electrolyte interposed between the electrodes. 2. The supercapacitor of claim 1 further comprising a non-conducting separator in between the at least two electrodes. 3. The supercapacitor of claim 2 wherein the separator is permeable by the electrolyte. 4. The supercapacitor of claim 2 wherein the separator comprises a material selected from the group consisting of hydrophilic polyethylene, fiberglass mat and porous glass paper. 5. The supercapacitor of claim 1 wherein the electrolyte comprises an aqueous solution of a compound selected from the group consisting of sulfuric acid, potassium hydroxide, and sodium hydroxide. 6. The supercapacitor of claim 1 wherein the electrolyte comprises a tetraalkylammonium salt. 7. The supercapacitor of claim 1 wherein the electrolyte comprises an organic carbonate selected from the group consisting of ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, propanediol-1,2-carbonate and dichlorethylene carbonate. 8. The supercapacitor of claim 1 wherein the electrolyte comprises a polymer gel electrolyte selected from the group consisting of polyurethane-LiCF3SO3, polyurethane-lithium perchlorate, polyvinylacohol-KOH--H2O, poly(acrylonitrile)-lithium salts, poly(acrylonitrile)-quaternary ammonium salts, and poly(ethylene oxide)-grafted poly(methyl)-methacrylate-quaternary ammonium salts. 9. The supercapacitor of claim 1 wherein the conducting material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of copper, aluminum, nickel and stainless steel. 10. The supercapacitor of claim 1 wherein the single-wall carbon nanotubes are derivatized with a functional group. 11. The supercapacitor of claim 1 wherein the single-wall carbon nanotubes and the polymer are in a weight ratio in the range of about 99:1 and about 1:99. 12. The supercapacitor of claim 1 wherein the single-wall carbon nanotubes and the polymer are in a weight ratio in the range of about 80:20 and about 20:80. 13. The supercapacitor of claim 1 wherein the polymer-nanotube material was activated by heating in carbon dioxide. 14. The supercapacitor of claim 1 wherein the electrode is a form selected from the group consisting of a film, fiber, fabric, felt, mat and combinations thereof. 15. The supercapacitor of claim 1 wherein the electrode is a film. 16. The supercapacitor of claim 1 wherein the electrode is a fabric. 17. The supercapacitor of claim 16 wherein the fabric is nonwoven. 18. The supercapacitor of claim 1 wherein the carbonaceous polymer-nanotube material is a fiber. 19. The supercapacitor of claim 1 herein the activation is done in a gaseous atmosphere comprising carbon dioxide. 20. The supercapacitor of claim 1 wherein the electrolyte is organic or aqueous. 21. The supercapacitor of claim 1 wherein the electrolyte comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of sulfuric acid, potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, and combinations thereof. 22. The supercapacitor of claim 1 wherein the electrolyte comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of quaternary ammonium salts, ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, propanediol-1,2-carbonate, dichloroethylene carbonate, and combinations thereof. 23. The supercapacitor of claim 1 wherein the electrolyte is a polymer gel electrolyte. 24. The supercapacitor of claim 1 wherein the supercapacitor is a bi-polar stacked capacitor. 25. The supercapacitor of claim 1 wherein the supercapacitor is a spiral-wound capacitor. 26. A supercapacitor comprising: (a) at least two electrodes comprising an activated carbonaceous polymer-nanotube material comprising single-wall carbon nanotubes and polymer, wherein the polymer-nanotube material was pyrolyzed and activated; (b) at least two current collectors, each in contact with an electrode, wherein the current collector comprises a conducting material; and (c) an electrolyte interposed between the electrodes; wherein the supercapacitor is a non-Faradaic supercapacitor. 27. The supercapacitor of claim 1 wherein the supercapacitor is an on-chip all-solid-state thin film supercapacitor. 28. The supercapacitor of claim 1 wherein the supercapacitor is a component of a microelectronic mechanical system (MEMS). 29. An electrode comprising an activated carbonaceous polymer-nanotube material comprising single-wall carbon nanotubes and polymer, wherein the polymer is poly(acrylonitrile-methyl acrylate) copolymer or poly(acrylonitrile-itaconic acid-methyl acrylate) copolymer, and wherein the polymer-nanotube material was pyrolyzed and activated. 30. The electrode of claim 29 wherein the single-wall carbon nanotubes are derivatized with a functional group. 31. The electrode of claim 29 wherein the single-wall carbon nanotubes and the polymer are in a weight ratio in the range of about 99:1 and about 1:99. 32. The electrode of claim 29 wherein the single-wall carbon nanotubes and the polymer are in a weight ratio in the range of about 80:20 and about 20.80. 33. The electrode of claim 29 wherein the polymer-nanotube material was activated by heating in carbon dioxide. 34. The electrode of claim 29 wherein the electrode is a form selected from the group consisting of a film, fiber, fabric, felt, mat and combinations thereof. 35. The electrode of claim 29 wherein the electrode is a fabric. 36. The electrode of claim 35 wherein the fabric is nonwoven. 37. The electrode of claim 29 wherein the carbonaceous polymer-nanotube material is a fiber. 38. The electrode of claim 29 wherein the activation is done in a gaseous atmosphere comprising carbon dioxide.