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Direct laser writing of micro-supercapacitors on hydrated graphite oxide films

Nature Nanotechnology volume 6, pages 496–500 (2011)Cite this article

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Abstract

Microscale supercapacitors provide an important complement to batteries in a variety of applications, including portable electronics. Although they can be manufactured using a number of printing and lithography techniques1,2,3, continued improvements in cost, scalability and form factor are required to realize their full potential. Here, we demonstrate the scalable fabrication of a new type of all-carbon, monolithic supercapacitor by laser reduction and patterning of graphite oxide films. We pattern both in-plane and conventional electrodes consisting of reduced graphite oxide with micrometre resolution, between which graphite oxide serves as a solid electrolyte4,5,6,7,8,9. The substantial amounts of trapped water in the graphite oxide makes it simultaneously a good ionic conductor and an electrical insulator, allowing it to serve as both an electrolyte and an electrode separator with ion transport characteristics similar to that observed for Nafion membranes10,11. The resulting micro-supercapacitor devices show good cyclic stability, and energy storage capacities comparable to existing thin-film supercapacitors1.

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Figure 1: Schematics of CO2 laser-patterning of free-standing hydrated GO films to fabricate RGO–GO–RGO devices with in-plane and sandwich geometries.
Figure 2: Comparisons of CV and impedance behaviour of in-plane and sandwich devices.
Figure 3: Characterization of the water effect on GO ionic conductivity.
Figure 4: Morphology and performance characterization of laser written micro-supercapacitors.

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Acknowledgements

W.G. and P.M.A. acknowledge funding support from Nanoholdings, LLC. The authors also thank B. Pradhan for discussions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, 77005, Texas, USA

    Wei Gao & Pulickel M. Ajayan

  2. Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science Department, Rice University, Houston, 77005, Texas, USA

    Neelam Singh, Li Song, Zheng Liu, Arava Leela Mohana Reddy, Lijie Ci, Robert Vajtai & Pulickel M. Ajayan

  3. Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, 19716, Delaware, USA

    Qing Zhang & Bingqing Wei

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Contributions

W.G. prepared the GO, fabricated devices and collected characterization data. A.L.M.R., N.S. and W.G. conducted ionic conductivity testing and data analysis. Z.L., L.S. and W.G. conducted conductivity measurements and analysed the data. L.C. and R.V. were involved in study design. P.M.A., W.G. and L.C. designed the study. P.M.A., W.G. and N.S. wrote the paper. Q.Z. and B.W. conducted self-discharge measurements and analysed the relevant data. All authors discussed the results and commented on the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Pulickel M. Ajayan.

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The authors declare no competing financial interests.

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Gao, W., Singh, N., Song, L. et al. Direct laser writing of micro-supercapacitors on hydrated graphite oxide films. Nature Nanotech 6, 496–500 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2011.110

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