Anthraquinone-functionalized graphene framework for supercapacitors and lithium batteries

Graphene is a promising material in supercapacitors. However, the restacking of graphene sheets during electrode fabrication or under service conditions greatly reduces the capacity for energy storage. Rationally designing a stable and robust 3-D framework of a graphene-based electrode is important for high-performance energy storage devices. Here we demonstrated a novel strategy to engineer the micropore structure in reduced graphene oxide materials for supercapacitors. Anthraquinone molecules as covalently-linked pillars were used to construct graphene framework and prevented the restacking of graphene sheets during fabrication processes. Compared with traditional reduced graphene oxide, the covalently-linked graphene framework contained numerous micropores, and therefore significantly enhanced the performance in supercapacitors. Moreover, this anthraquinone-functionalized graphene framework could also achieve a higher specific capacity in lithium batteries due to the additional Faradaic reaction in oxygen functional groups.