Chestnut-like structured carbon comprising platelet carbon nanofibers(PCNFs) grown on selective catalytic gasified activated carbon have shown promising results as application for electrodes. The Ni-Fe catalyst is generally prepared on the activated carbon by immersion process followed by a reduction of temperature at 350-450 degrees C. The growth of PCNFs then continue on for a predetermined time through the thermal decomposition of ethylene at 600 degrees C. The resulting structure, which comprises an intimately connected activated carbon and PCNFs, is shown to offer performance advantages with its specific surface properties and electrochemical characterizations. The mesoporous volume is 0.7564 cm(3)/g higher than that with purely activated carbon (0.1220 cm(3)/g). The specific surface area is 2401 m(2)/g higher than those with purely activated carbon (1800 m(2)/g). The specific capacitance is 136.86 F/cm(3) higher than those with P-60. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.