Planar Patterning Design and Energy Storage Performance Comparison of Laser-Induced Graphene Flexible Supercapacitors

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Energy Storage
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Laser-induced graphene (LIG) offers efficient electrode fabrication for supercapacitors.
• Existing LIG supercapacitors (LIG SCs) have limitations in operating voltage and performance variability.
• Laser power significantly influences LIG SC device performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of different patterns and laser powers on LIG SC energy storage performance.
• To identify optimal configurations for enhanced LIG SC devices.
• To explore the potential of LIG SCs for flexible electronics.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of LIG SC devices with various patterns (interdigital, spiral, circular).
• Systematic variation of laser power during LIG fabrication.
• Electrochemical characterization including capacitance, operating voltage, energy density, and cycling stability.
• Assessment of device performance under mechanical bending.

Main Results:

• Interdigital patterned LIG SCs demonstrated superior performance compared to other patterns.
• Optimal laser power of 2.75 W yielded an area-specific capacitance of 10.78 mF cm⁻² at 0.2 mA cm⁻².
• Achieved a wide operating voltage of 1.8 V and maximum energy density of 4.85 μWh cm⁻².
• Maintained 84.1% capacitance after 8000 cycles and 8.33 mF cm⁻² capacitance at 60° bending.

Conclusions:

• Interdigital patterned LIG SCs, fabricated with optimized laser power, represent a promising approach for high-performance planar flexible supercapacitors.
• The findings provide critical insights for designing advanced energy storage devices.
• Laser processing offers a versatile method for tailoring LIG SC properties.