Graphene hydrogel modification with 4-methylumbelliferone molecules as electrode material for supercapacitor

Abstract

Graphene hydrogels (GH), as a derivative of graphene have become a research hotspot in the field of energy storage due to their three-dimensional network structure which can prevent the agglomeration of graphene. The specific capacitance and energy storage ability can be further increased by non-covalent functional graphene hydrogels with organic small molecules. In this work, 4-methylumbelliferone (DTBF) molecules interacted on the surfaces of GH via π-π interactions to get a carbon electrode material (DTBF/GH) by one-step hydrothermal. On the one hand, the DTBF molecules can contribute capacitance by faradic reactions, on the other hand, they can act as spacers to hinder the accumulation of graphene nanosheets, thus enhancing the specific surface area of graphene and promoting the migration of electrolyte ions. As a result, DTBF/GH displays an ultrahigh-specific capacitance. The specific capacitance can reach up to 578 F g−1 (1 A g−1). To verify the influence of electrode material matching on capacitor performance, an asymmetric supercapacitor and a symmetrical capacitor are assembled respectively. Although the specific capacitance of the DTBF/GH material is higher than that of activated carbon (AC), the energy density (Ed = 19 Wh kg−1) of the DTBF/GH//AC capacitors is higher than that of the DTBF/GH//DTBF/GH capacitors. It shows that the matching of electrode materials has a great influence on the Ed and the power density (Pd) of the capacitor. In addition, two DTBF/GH//AC devices in series can light 47 LEDs.