High-energy-density flexible graphene-based supercapacitors enabled by atypical hydroquinone dimethyl ether

Jian Wang; Zhenquan Wang; Zhiming Li; Naxing Liu; Yang Luo; Yuxiao Chu; Long Jiang; Fu-Gang Zhao; Kai Zhang; Xunshan Liu; Yongmiao Shen

doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2023.05.194

High-energy-density flexible graphene-based supercapacitors enabled by atypical hydroquinone dimethyl ether

J Colloid Interface Sci. 2023 Oct 15:648:231-241. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.05.194. Epub 2023 Jun 3.

Authors

Jian Wang¹, Zhenquan Wang¹, Zhiming Li¹, Naxing Liu¹, Yang Luo¹, Yuxiao Chu¹, Long Jiang¹, Fu-Gang Zhao², Kai Zhang³, Xunshan Liu⁴, Yongmiao Shen⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Surface & Interface Science of Polymer Materials of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, 928 Second Street, Hangzhou 310018, China.
² Department of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Surface & Interface Science of Polymer Materials of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, 928 Second Street, Hangzhou 310018, China; Zhejiang Sci-Tech University Shengzhou Innovation Research Institute, China. Electronic address: fgzhao@zstu.edu.cn.
³ Department of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Surface & Interface Science of Polymer Materials of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, 928 Second Street, Hangzhou 310018, China; Institute for Ecological Research and Pollution Control of Plateau Lakes, School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming 650504, China. Electronic address: kaizhang@zstu.edu.cn.
⁴ Department of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Surface & Interface Science of Polymer Materials of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, 928 Second Street, Hangzhou 310018, China. Electronic address: xliu350@zstu.edu.cn.
⁵ Department of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Surface & Interface Science of Polymer Materials of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, 928 Second Street, Hangzhou 310018, China; Zhejiang Sci-Tech University Shengzhou Innovation Research Institute, China. Electronic address: shenym@zstu.edu.cn.

PMID: 37301147
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.05.194

Abstract

Supercapacitor is an electrochemical energy-storage technology that can meet the green and sustainable energy needs of the future. However, a low energy density was a bottleneck that limited its practical application. To overcome this, we developed a heterojunction system composed of two-dimensional (2D) graphene and hydroquinone dimethyl ether- an atypical redox-active aromatic ether. This heterojunction displayed a large specific capacitance (Cs) of 523 F g^-1 at 1.0 A g^-1, as well as good rate capability and cycling stability. When assembled in symmetric and asymmetric two-electrode configuration, respectively, supercapacitors can work in voltage windows of 0 ∼ 1.0 V and 0 ∼ 1.6 V, accordingly, and exhibited attractive capacitive characteristics. The best device can deliver an energy density of 32.4 Wh Kg^-1 and a power density of 8000 W Kg^-1, and suffered a small capacitance degradation. Additionally, the device showed low self-discharge and leakage current behaviors during long time. This strategy may inspire exploration of aromatic ether electrochemistry and pave a way to develop electrical double-layer capacitance (EDLC)/pseudocapacitance heterojunctions to boost the critical energy density.

Keywords: Aromatic ethers; Flexible and wearable electronics; Graphene functionalization; Supercapacitor.