Power-output reduction of graphene oxide and a MnO2-free Zn/GO primary cell

Abstract

The reduction of graphene oxide (GO) by zinc powder is essentially an electron-input process. Is it possible to output the electron during the reduction for a primary battery? Here, a primary battery with a Zn plate as the anode and a centimeter-sized dried foam film of graphene oxide (GO) as the cathode has been fabricated, and the electron-output has been achieved while a reduced graphene oxidised film was obtained synchronously. The output capacity of the batteries depends on the oxygenated degree and the amount of GO, and the maximum specific capacity is 642 mA h g⁻¹, while the average voltage is up to 0.6 V. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements revealed the decreasing resistance of the Zn/GO cell during the discharging process. An LED lamp can be lit by the battery, indicating its potential for practical applications. In addition, the primary battery is MnO₂-free, and hence is more environmentally benign than the traditional Zn/Carbon dry batteries.