VO₂(B)/Graphene Composite-Based Symmetrical Supercapacitor Electrode via Screen Printing for Intelligent Packaging

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• The growing demand for Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and intelligent packaging necessitates advanced, flexible power sources.
• Vanadium Dioxide (B) (VO₂(B)) is a promising material for energy storage, but its performance can be limited by structural stability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize a novel VO₂(B)/graphene (VO₂(B)/GN) core-shell composite.
• To evaluate the electrochemical properties and potential applications of the VO₂(B)/GN composite as a flexible power source.

Main Methods:

• Hydrothermal synthesis of VO₂(B)/GN composite using V₂O₅ and graphite.
• Characterization using XRD, FT-IR, SEM, TEM, and XPS.
• Electrochemical performance testing, including specific capacitance and cycling stability.
• Assembly and testing of a solid-state supercapacitor (SCs) device.

Main Results:

• The VO₂(B)/GN composite exhibited improved electrochemical performance and structural stability compared to pure VO₂(B).
• Specific capacitance increased with graphene loading, reaching 197 F g⁻¹ at 0.5 A g⁻¹ with 20% GN.
• The VO₂(B)/GN (20%) electrode retained 95.49% of its capacitance after 1000 cycles, significantly higher than pure VO₂(B) (85.43%).
• A series of solid-state supercapacitors successfully powered an LED, demonstrating practical application potential.

Conclusions:

• The VO₂(B)/GN core-shell composite offers enhanced electrochemical performance and cycling stability for energy storage applications.
• Graphene integration strengthens the structural integrity and boosts the specific capacitance of VO₂(B).
• The developed composite shows significant potential for flexible power sources in intelligent packaging and RFID systems.