Graphene-based 3D sponge-like material is useful for supercapacitors

Scientists from the University of Alberta and the National Research Council of Canada developed a new material, a 3D sponge-like graphene that can be used to make supercapacitor electrodes. The big advantage o f this new material is a high energy density at ultra high power densities - 7.1 Wh/kg at 48,000 W/kg. This could lead towards supercapacitors that can compete with Li-Ion batteries.

The new material was synthesized the sponge-like graphene out of multiwalled carbon nanotubes and cobalt phthalocyanine (PC) molecules that attach to nucleation sites in the nanotube "skeleton." Heating the material in a microwave for 20 minutes yielded graphite - which was then quenched with ice water to transform it into graphene flakes.

Source: Phys.org

 

Posted: Oct 14,2012 by Ron Mertens