Laser-Reduced Graphene Oxide with Ultralow Defect Density for Paper-Supported Electrochemical Capacitors

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Flexible Electronics

Background:

• Laser-assisted reduction of graphene oxide (GO) is key for conductive films on flexible substrates.
• High-performance flexible electronics and smart textiles require advanced materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate laser-reduced graphene oxide (LrGO) with exceptionally low defect density on heat-sensitive paper.
• To investigate the effect of laser power on LrGO properties and performance.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of LrGO films on bare paper using laser reduction.
• Characterization using Raman spectroscopy and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS).
• Electrochemical testing of supercapacitors with different electrolytes.

Main Results:

• Achieved LrGO with a D/G Raman ratio of 0.1, indicating minimal defects.
• Paper-supported LrGO films exhibited sheet resistance below 50 Ohm sq^-1 and good conductivity after bending.
• Supercapacitors demonstrated high capacitance (31.8 mF cm^-2 and 5.2 mF cm^-2), outperforming previous research.

Conclusions:

• Laser reduction is effective for creating high-quality LrGO on paper substrates.
• Optimized laser parameters yield superior electrochemical performance for flexible energy storage.
• This work advances LrGO applications in flexible electronics and smart textiles.