When supporting electrolyte matters - Tuning capacitive response of graphene oxide via electrochemical reduction in alkali and alkaline earth metal chlorides

• The ability to tune charge storage properties of graphene oxide ( GO) is of utmost importance for energy conversion applications. Here we show that the electrochemical reduction of GO is highly sensitive to the cations present in the solution. GO is reduced at more negative potential in alkali metal chloride solutions than in alkaline earth metal chlorides. During the reduction, the capacitance of GO increases from 10 to 70 times. The maximum capacitances of reduced GO are between 65 and 130 F g(-1), depending on the electrolyte and the presence of conductive additive. We propose that different interactions of cations with oxygen functional groups of GO during the reduction are responsible for the observed effect. This hypothesis has been confirmed by Density Functional Theory calculations of alkali and alkaline earth metals interactions with epoxy-functionalized graphene sheet.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Kemi -- Annan kemi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Chemical Sciences -- Other Chemistry Topics (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Kemi -- Materialkemi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Chemical Sciences -- Materials Chemistry (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Graphene oxide

Capacitance

Electrochemical reduction

Capacitance tuning

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)