High Energy Density Supercapacitor Based on a Hybrid Carbon Nanotube-Reduced Graphite Oxide Architecture

A high energy density supercapacitor device is reported that utilizes hybrid carbon electrodes and the ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (BMIMBF4) as an electrolyte. The hybrid electrodes are prepared from reduced graphite oxide (rGO) and purified single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). A simple casting technique gives the hybrid structure with optimum porosity and functionality that provides high energy and power densities. The combination of SWCNTs and rGO in a weight ratio of 1:1 is found to afford a specific capacitance of 222 F g-1 and an energy density of 94 Wh kg-1 at room temperature.