Melamine based, n-doped carbon/reduced graphene oxide composite foam for Li-ion Hybrid Supercapacitors

Abstract

In this work, a compressible melamine-based carbon/reduced graphene oxide foam was synthesized using a simple one-step process. The nitrogen-rich melamine allows the final composite material to be rich in nitrogen, resulting in a higher conductivity and performance. The synergistic combination of nitrogen-doped carbon foam and reduced graphene oxide results in a compressible, free-standing, binder-free electrode with a capacity of 330 mAh g−1 at 0.1 mA g−1 that can be used in both Lithium-ion Hybrid Supercapacitors (LIHSs) and Lithium-ion Batteries (LIBs). The composite electrode can also be used as a current collector and scaffolding for other active materials. As a proof of concept, a LIHS was fabricated using the composite foam as a free-standing electrode in the anode and a current collector for activated carbon in the cathode. The resulting device has an energy density of 40 Wh kg−1 at 1 A that can be maintained for 800 charge and discharge cycles.