Paper-based supercapacitors

• Supercapacitors are high performance energy storage devices that offer many advantages like high power densities, fast charge/discharge times and long lifetimes. Due to high purchase prices the use of supercapacitors is limited. Thus we introduced the concept of low cost paper-based supercapacitors. Paper serves as a carrier for the active electrode material, as ion conductor and as separator in the supercapacitor. Different carbon materials, like graphene, graphite and activated carbon are used as active material for the electrodes. We are developing a process to produce large quantities of inexpensive graphene by mechanical exfoliation of graphite. Both coated and filled electrode papers were prepared and tested in supercapacitors. Besides graphene we coated several graphene/graphite composites on paper. By adding small amounts of gold nanoparticles or nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) the supercapacitors performance can be improved to a great extent. Specific capacitances of up to 100 F/g for coated paper electrodes and sheet-resistances as low as 0.5 Ω/sq could be obtained. Another advantage of this concept is that papermaking technologies can be used to prepare conducting electrodes, thin separators and manufacture the device itself. The paper industry has the ability to facilitate a large scale production of inexpensive supercapacitors.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Den kondenserade materiens fysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Condensed Matter Physics (hsv//eng)

Keyword

supercapacitors

paper

nano fibrillated cellulose

graphene

graphite

coating

electrode

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

kon (subject category)