Graphitic carbon instead of activated carbon has been employed as the positive electrode material in the activated carbon (AC)/carbon capacitors using organic electrolytes. The advantageous electrochemical performance of the AC/graphite capacitors has been investigated as compared with the AC/AC capacitors. The charge storage mechanism of anions on the graphite positive electrodes in the AC/graphite capacitors has been studied by in situ XRD measurements. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.