Oriented Graphenes from Plasma-Reformed Coconut Oil for Supercapacitor Electrodes
Shailesh Kumar1,2, Phil Martin3, Avi Bendavid3
1School of Chemistry, Physics and Mechanical Engineering, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland 4000, Australia.
Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland)
|November 29, 2019
Summary
Researchers developed a scalable, eco-friendly method to create forested vertical graphene nanosheet (F-VGN) electrodes for supercapacitors. These novel electrodes offer high energy storage performance and stability, paving the way for advanced energy devices.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science and Engineering
- Electrochemistry
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Vertical graphene nanosheet (VGN) electrodes are desirable for supercapacitors but face challenges in controlling stacking, density, functionality, and reactivity.
- Existing fabrication methods often lack scalability, environmental friendliness, or precise control over VGN morphology and surface properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a scalable, single-step, and environmentally friendly method for fabricating advanced VGN electrodes.
- To investigate the impact of controlled morphology and surface functionality on supercapacitor performance.
- To explore the potential of these electrodes for next-generation energy storage applications.
Main Methods:
- A plasma-assisted process using coconut oil as a precursor to synthesize forested vertical graphene nanosheets (F-VGNs).
- Morphological control of F-VGNs, ranging from thick continuous structures to hierarchical cauliflower-like architectures.
- Characterization of F-VGN surface properties, including slight oxygenation on the surface and oxygen-free interiors.
Main Results:
- Fabricated thick (>10 μm) F-VGN electrodes demonstrated high specific capacitance: 312 F/g at 10 mV/s and 148 F/g at 500 mV/s.
- Electrodes exhibited excellent cycling stability with over 99% capacitance retention after 1000 cycles.
- Controlled morphology resulted in electrolyte-accessible surfaces, crucial for efficient ion transport.
Conclusions:
- The plasma-assisted fabrication method offers a scalable and eco-friendly route to high-performance F-VGN electrodes.
- The tunable morphology and controlled surface functionality of F-VGNs are key to achieving superior supercapacitor performance.
- This approach holds significant promise for the integration of F-VGN electrodes in advanced energy storage devices.
