Room-temperature defect-controlled fabrication of graphene via sustainable electrochemical exfoliation: An ultra-performance supercapacitor

Electrochemical Double-Layer Capacitors (EDLCs) afford low specific capacitance when graphene structure has high degree of graphitization and defect. In this study, a novel, facile and economical electrochemical exfoliation method is used for the straightforward fabrication of graphene from graphite electrode under ambient conditions. Successful fabrication of graphene structures is verified via X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman and FT-IR spectroscopy. The morphology of the prepared samples is studied using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The electrochemical performances of the as-prepared graphene show excellent specific capacitance (210 F/g) for the sample synthesized in the lowest electrolyte concentration being several times higher than that of the initial graphite electrode (-26 F/g). The optimal electrode displays significant capacitive retention (-96 %) and notable coulombic efficiency after 10,000 cycles galvanostatic charge/discharge at current density of 10 A/g. The prepared graphene structure with this novel method exhibits remarkable EDLC performances compared to other graphene-based supercapacitors cited in the literature. Owing to their sustainable quality and considerable quantity, these performant supercapacitor electrodes should be beneficial from an industrial vantage point.

Automated summary

A novel, facile and economical method of electrochemical exfoliation is used to fabricate graphene structures with excellent specific capacitance and electrochemical performance. The prepared graphene exhibits remarkable EDLC performances, making it promising for industrial applications.