Patent ID: 8576541

Claim:
An electrolytic cell comprising: two electrodes; wherein at least one of the electrodes comprises activated carbon; wherein the activated carbon electrode comprises: pores having a size of ≦1 nm, which provide a combined pore volume of ≧0.3 cm 3 /g; pores having a size of from >1 nm to ≦2 nm, which provide a combined pore volume of ≧0.05 cm 3 /g; and <0.15 cm 3 /g combined pore volume of any pores having a size of >2 nm; an electrolyte system comprising: a conductive salt selected from the consisting of quaternary ammonium salts, cyclic aromatic imidazolium salts, and asymmetric ammonium salts dispersed in a solvent mixture, wherein a concentration of the conductive salt in the electrolyte system is from about 1.25 molar to about 3.0 molar; and the solvent mixture comprises an acetonitrile and a co-solvent.