Activated graphene as a cathode material for Li-ion hybrid supercapacitors

Abstract

Chemically activated graphene (‘activated microwave expanded graphite oxide’, a-MEGO) was used as a cathode material for Li-ion hybrid supercapacitors. The performance of a-MEGO was first verified with Li-ion electrolyte in a symmetrical supercapacitor cell. Hybrid supercapacitors were then constructed with a-MEGO as the cathode and with either graphite or Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ (LTO) for the anode materials. The results show that the activated graphene material works well in a symmetrical cell with the Li-ion electrolyte with specific capacitances as high as 182 F g⁻¹. In a full a-MEGO/graphite hybrid cell, specific capacitances as high as 266 F g⁻¹ for the active materials at operating potentials of 4 V yielded gravimetric energy densities for a packaged cell of 53.2 W h kg⁻¹.