An ultrahigh-capacity, flexible electrode made with vanadium pentoxide/graphene (with a specific capacity of 396 mAh/g) supported on paper-based current collectors has been developed. The ultrahigh-capacity graphene-modified vanadium pentoxide is fabricated by incorporating graphene sheets (2 wt %) into the vanadium pentoxide nanorods to improve the specific capacity, cycle life, and rate capability. This active material is then incorporated with the paper-based current collectors [carbon nanotube (CNT)-microfiber paper] to provide flexible electrodes. The flexible current collector has been made by depositing single-wall CNTs over wood microfibers through a layer-by-layer self-assembly process. The CNT mass loading of the fabricated current collectors is limited to 10.1 μg/cm2. The developed electrodes can be used to construct the flexible battery cells, providing a high-capacity/energy and rechargeable energy storage unit for flexible electronic devices.
Keywords: V2O5/graphene; carbon nanotube; flexible batteries; flexible current collector; lithium ion; paper-based batteries; ultrahigh capacity.