Preparation and electrochemical performance of nitrogen-enriched carbon based on melamine formaldehyde resin/graphene oxide composites

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop nitrogen-enriched carbon (NC) with high conductivity and specific capacitance as electrode materials for supercapacitors. Design/methodology/approach – Graphene oxide (GO) was synthesized by the modified Hummers–Offeman method. NC was synthesized by carbonization of melamine formaldehyde resin/graphene oxide (MF/GO) composites. Supercapacitors based on Ni(OH)2/Co(OH)2 composites as the positive electrode and NC as the negative electrode were assembled. The electrochemical performances of NC and supercapacitors are studied. Findings – The results show that obtained NC has high nitrogen content. Compared to NC-GO0 without GO, high conductivity and specific capacitance were obtained for NC with GO due to the introduction of layered GO. The presence of pseudocapacitive interactions between potassium cations and the nitrogen atoms of NC was also proposed. When the weight ratio of GO to MF is 0.013:1, the obtained NC-GO3 has the highest specific capacitance of 154.07 F/g due to GO and its highest content of N-6. When the P of the asymmetric supercapacitor with NC-GO3 as the negative electrode is 1,326.70 W/kg, its Cps and Ep are still 23.84 F/g and 8.48 Wh/Kg, respectively. There is only 4.4 per cent decay in Cps of the supercapacitor over 1,000 cycles. Research limitations/implications – NC is a suitable electrode material for supercapacitors. The supercapacitors can be used in the field of automobiles and can solve the problems of energy shortage and environmental pollutions. Originality/value – NC based on MF/GO composites with high nitrogen content and conductivity was novel and its electrochemical properties were excellent.