Materials boost for supercapacitors

The technique, which is said to be more affordable than its predecessors, is of particular interest to researchers because of a supercapacitor’s life cycle and reversible charge storage process.

The research suggests that the most effective way of maximising a supercapacitor’s electrical conductivity and surface area is via the use of graphene as the active material.

In most cases, the fabrication of graphene sheets has been achieved using the chemical vapour deposition (CVD) technique which acts as a highly conductive, as-prepared material.

The South Korean team, led by professor Ji-Hyun Jang of the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), had previously worked on a novel approach that synthesised CVD-grown three-dimensional graphene nano-networks (3-D GNs) that could be mass produced, whilst retaining the desired properties associated with 2-D.

The research led to the fabrication of a mass-producible mesoporous graphene nano-ball (MGB) via a precursor-assisted CVD that used metal precursors as a catalyst.

The fabrication of graphene sheets has been achieved using the chemical vapour deposition

The unique mesoporous structure designed by the research team forms a three-dimensional network which aids conductivity and the graphene surfaces are capable of inducing nanochannels to transport ions in electrolyte – which help improve the properties of a supercapacitor.

“When the mesoporous graphene balls are used as an electrode material for a supercapacitor, it proves great potential for energy storage devices with high efficiency,” said Jang.

The research is designed to better understand what it is that is needed to develop a practical, high-powered electric vehicle.

“If the properties of mesoporous graphene are improved further by continuous research, developing an electric vehicle with high power will become a realisation not just a dream,” added Jang.