This work introduces a facile electrochemical method that can substantially improve the capacitance of graphene aerogel supercapacitor electrodes at little sacrifice of their excellent rate capability. This method involves two ion-intercalation processes, namely the lithium-ion intercalation and the perchlorate-ion intercalation, followed by hydrolysis of perchlorate ion intercalation compounds. Lithium ion intercalation mainly leads to surface exfoliation, while the hydrolysis of perchlorate ion intercalation compounds functionalizes graphene surface with hydroxyl and carbonyl functionalities. Electrochemically treated graphitic paper electrode showed 1000 times enhancement in areal capacitance. Without the need of post-annealing, the treated graphitic paper maintained an outstanding rate capability of 84% (0.5 mA/cm<sup>2</sup> to 5 mA/cm<sup>2</sup>). The same strategy can also be extended to boost the gravimetric capacitance of 3D-printed graphene aerogels with ordered macropores. The treated graphene aerogel achieved an outstanding gravimetric capacitance of 101.7 F/g (10 A/g) with an excellent rate capability of 81.6% (from 0.5 A/g to 10 A/g).

Improving the capacitance of graphene aerogel electrodes via a facile ion-intercalation strategy

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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