(Invited) Controlled Assembly of 3D Graphene Electrodes for Enhanced Alkali Metal Storage

Abstract

Graphene has been intensively investigated as an electrode material for energy storage devices thanks to its large surface area and excellent electrical conductivity. However, the restacking of graphene sheets is inevitable during the solution process due to π–π and hydrophobic interactions, which reduces the available surface area. Recently, 3D structured crumpled graphene has emerged as an promising electrode material due to its aggregation-resistive property.In this study, we will introduce our recent efforts to assemble 3D structured crumpled graphene anodes through the stacking engineering process for Li-, Na-, K-ion batteries. We reveal the role of defects in improving the charge storage performance through the surface-controlled charge storage mechanism. The crumpled graphene anodes exhibited high capacity with excellent rate-performance and cycling stability. We further evaluate the temperature-dependent performance of 3D graphene anodes, demonstrating their superior charge storage performance in extreme cold environments. Finally, we will discuss anodic electrochemical exfoliation of graphite for the fast production of graphene at low cost with moderate quality.