Electrochemical properties of graphene nanosheet/carbon black composites as electrodes for supercapacitors

Graphene nanosheet/carbon black composites were prepared by the ultrasonication and in situ reduction methods. Microstructure measurements show that most carbon black particles deposit on the edge surfaces of nanosheets by the ultrasonication method, and on the basal surfaces of nanosheets by in situ reduction method. The electrochemical performances of hybrid materials are superior to pure graphene material, demonstrating that carbon black particles as spacers ensured the high electrochemical utilization of graphene layers as well as the open nano-channels provided by three-dimensional graphene nanosheet/carbon black hybrid material. Therefore, the resulting composite is a promising carbon material for supercapacitors. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.