Applications of Graphene Electrophoretic Deposition. A Review

Abstract

This Review summarizes research progress employing electrophoretic deposition (EPD) to fabricate graphene and graphene-based nanostructures for a wide range of applications, including energy storage materials, field emission devices, supports for fuel cells, dye-sensitized solar cells, supercapacitors and sensors, among others. These carbonaceous nanomaterials can be dispersed in organic solvents, or more commonly in water, using a variety of techniques compatible with EPD. Most deposits are produced under constant voltage conditions with deposition time also playing an important role in determining the morphology of the resulting graphene structures. In addition to simple planar substrates, it has been shown that uniform graphene-based layers can be deposited on three-dimensional, porous, and even flexible substrates. In general, electrophoretically deposited graphene layers show excellent properties, e.g., high electrical conductivity, large surface area, good thermal stability, high optical transparency, and robust mechanical strength. EPD also enables the fabrication of functional composite materials, e.g., graphene combined with metallic nanoparticles, with other carbonaceous materials (e.g., carbon nanotubes) or polymers, leading to novel nanomaterials with enhanced optical and electrical properties. In summary, the analysis of the available literature reveals that EPD is a simple and convenient processing method for graphene and graphene-based materials, which is easy to apply and versatile. EPD has, therefore, a promising future for applications in the field of advanced nanomaterials, which depend on the reliable manipulation of graphene and graphene-containing systems.