Electro-exfoliating graphene from graphite for direct fabrication of supercapacitor

•Electro-exfoliation of graphite using oxidizing agents to produce graphene.•Vacuum filtration of produced graphene for fabrication of supercapacitor electrode.•Electrochemical performances were compared using different states of electrolyte. A facile production of graphene via electro-exfoliation i...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied surface science 2016-01, Vol.360, p.213-223
Main Authors: Hamra, A.A.B., Lim, H.N., Chee, W.K., Huang, N.M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Electrochemical exfoliation
Graphene
Oxidizing agent
Supercapacitor
Surfactant
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Summary:•Electro-exfoliation of graphite using oxidizing agents to produce graphene.•Vacuum filtration of produced graphene for fabrication of supercapacitor electrode.•Electrochemical performances were compared using different states of electrolyte. A facile production of graphene via electro-exfoliation is demonstrated using different types of oxidizing agent (HNO3, NaNO3, H2SO4 and H2O2) in the presence of sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate as a surfactant. Different types of surfactant–oxidizing agent solutions in different concentrations significantly influenced the electrochemical exfoliation of graphite rod. The surface morphology, layer thickness and defects of the as-produced graphene are further evaluated. Additionally, the as-produced graphene is fabricated as a supercapacitor electrode via direct vacuum filtration. Nylon membrane and polymer gel, each containing 2.0M of potassium hydroxide, are utilized to investigate the influence of the electrolyte type on the capacitance performance. Upon 1000 charge/discharge cycles, the nylon membrane electrolyte recorded capacitance retention of 94%, whereas the polymer gel electrolyte recorded an impressive capacitance retention that exceeded 100%. The potential of the fabricated supercapacitor for real applications is manifested by its ability to light up a light-emitting diode upon charging.
ISSN:0169-4332
1873-5584
DOI:10.1016/j.apsusc.2015.11.006