Multifunctional Structural Supercapacitor Based on Urea-Activated Graphene Nanoflakes Directly Grown on Carbon Fiber Electrodes

Abhijit Ganguly,Anastasios Karakassides,Shahzad Hussain,John Benson,Pagona Papakonstantinou

doi:10.1021/acsaem.9b02469

Abhijit Ganguly, Anastasios Karakassides + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1021/acsaem.9b02469

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Abstract

Structural energy storage systems offer both load bearing and electrochemical energy storage capabilities in a single multifunctional platform. They are emerging technologies for modern air and gro...

Highlights

Structural energy storage systems are multifunctional systems which provide mechanical load bearing and electrochemical energy storage functionalities simultaneously
We demonstrated that radially aligned graphene nanoflakes (GNFs),[28] grown by microwave PECVD within a few minutes, improve the interfacial shear strength (IFSS) by 101.5% and lead to a remarkable 28% enhancement in the tensile strength of the hybrid fibers as observed via single-fiber tensile strength tests
We investigated the electrochemical and mechanical performance of a structural supercapacitor based on graphene nanoflakes (GNFs) directly grown on carbon fabric (CF) electrodes, infused in a mixture of PEGDGE

Summary

■ INTRODUCTION

Structural energy storage systems are multifunctional systems which provide mechanical load bearing and electrochemical energy storage functionalities simultaneously. We demonstrated that radially aligned graphene nanoflakes (GNFs),[28] grown by microwave PECVD within a few minutes, improve the interfacial shear strength (IFSS) by 101.5% and lead to a remarkable 28% enhancement in the tensile strength of the hybrid fibers as observed via single-fiber tensile strength tests Such enormous enhancement in tensile strength was associated with a reduced thermal loading on the CF due to quick GNF growth along with the elimination of harmful chemical procedures as no catalyst was required. GNFs provided further benefits such as increased electrical conductivity (60.5% improvement for yarns and 16% for single fiber) and electrochemical capacitance (157% for yarns) in conventional electrolytes.[28] So far, GNFs have been studied as electrodes for many electrochemically based applications[29] including that of conventional supercapacitors;[30] their use as electrodes for structural energy storage by direct growth on CFs is an unexplored terrain.

■ RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

■ CONCLUSIONS

■ REFERENCES