A Graphene Oxide-Thioamide Polymer Hybrid for High-Performance Supercapacitor Electrodes

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Graphene oxide (GO) is a promising material for energy storage applications.
• Chemical functionalization of GO is crucial for optimizing its electrochemical properties.
• Developing advanced electrode materials is key for high-performance supercapacitors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To chemically functionalize graphene oxide (GO) with thioamide-based polymers.
• To investigate the electrochemical performance of functionalized GO in supercapacitors.
• To enhance the energy density and stability of GO-based supercapacitors.

Main Methods:

• Controlled chemical modification of graphene oxide.
• Synthesis of thioamide-based polymers with S, N, and O heteroatoms.
• Electrochemical characterization in aqueous and organic electrolytes.
• Fabrication and testing of symmetric supercapacitor devices.

Main Results:

• Functionalized GO achieved a specific capacitance of 221 F/g in aqueous electrolytes and 340 F/g in organic electrolytes.
• Supercapacitors exhibited high energy densities up to 94.4 Wh/kg.
• Devices demonstrated excellent cycling stability, retaining over 98% capacitance in H2SO4 and over 90% in TEABF4/ACN after 5000 cycles.

Conclusions:

• Thioamide-based polymer functionalization significantly enhances GO performance for supercapacitors.
• The modified GO materials offer a pathway to state-of-the-art energy storage devices.
• The developed materials show great potential for robust and high-performance energy storage solutions.