  Supercapacitors are electric devices able to deliver a large power, enabling
their use e.g. for the recovery of breaking energy in cars. This is achieved by
using two carbon electrodes and an electrolyte solution or a pure ionic liquid
(Room Temperature Ionic Liquid, RTIL). Energy is stored by the adsorption of
ions at the surface of the electrodes, but the microscopic mechanism underlying
the exceptional performance of Carbide Derived Carbon (CDC) electrodes remained
unknown. Using molecular simulation with realistic electrode structures and
under constant voltage conditions, we investigate the effect of confinement and
solvation on the microscopic charging mechanism. We further analyse the
dynamics of the charging process and make the link with equivalent circuit
models used by electrochemists.
