Synthesis of graphene on Ni foam with enhanced capacitive performance by embedding PS spacers

Abstract

ABSTRACTReduced graphene oxide (rGO) has attracted great attention as a promising electrode material for supercapacitors. Herein, polystyrene (PS) colloidal microsphere was used as spacers embedded in the interlayer of graphite oxide (GO) sheets when mixed with GO dispersion. The resulting rGO/PS on Ni foam was prepared using the above-mentioned GO/PS mixed dispersion and vitamin C as reducing agent. To what extent do different volume ratios of GO and PS have effect on the electrochemical performance of as-prepared rGO materials is of great interest to us. As a results, the rGO/PS achieved the highest specific capacitance of 140.4 F g−1, given that the specific capacitance of pure rGO was prepared using pure GO dispersion at the absence of PS particles is only 122.5 F g−1. Therefore, the specific capacitance of rGO can be increased a lot in this way of using GO/PS mixed dispersion.