(Invited) Graphene Nanostructure By Molten Salt Process for Supercapacitor Applications

Abstract

Graphene has a two-dimensional honeycomb structure consisting of a single layer of carbon atoms with a sp2-bonding configuration and has recently attracted significant attention owing to its unique properties, which include an exceptionally high specific surface area and high electrical and thermal conductivities as well as mechanical and chemical stability. However, graphene sheets exhibit an extreme tendency to agglomerate or restack. This leads to a surface that is electrochemically less effective, low electrical conductivity, and an interlayer spacing that hinders access to electrolyte ions, thus limiting the use of the sheets in supercapacitor applications. Introducing spacer materials such as metal oxide, carbonaceous between the graphene sheets is a viable strategy for preventing the sheets from agglomerating. In this study, we report the scalable fabrication of a high-quality hierarchical interconnected carbon nanostructure, combining two-dimensional graphene nanosheets and one-dimensional graphene nanoscrolls from graphite by a simple high temperature molten salt method. The electrode using the prepared material exhibited high reversible specific capacitance, excellent rate capability, and good cyclability because of their unique interconnected networks of carbon nanostructures with high electrochemically active surface area and high electrical conductivity. More details on the synthetic procedure, electrochemical and structural properties will be presented at the meeting.