Constructing N-doped and 3D Hierarchical Porous graphene nanofoam by plasma activation for supercapacitor and Zn ion capacitor

• Published in: iScience Vol. 26; no. 2; p. 105964
• Main Authors: Wei, Song, Wan, Caichao, Li, Xingong, Su, Jiahui, Cheng, Wenjie, Chai, Huayun, Wu, Yiqiang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 17.02.2023; Elsevier
• Subjects: electrochemical energy storage; energy materials; materials science; materials science; electrochemical energy storage; energy materials
• ISSN: 2589-0042; 2589-0042
• DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.105964

Traditional electrode materials still face vital challenges of few active sites, low porosity, complex synthesis process, and low specific capacitance. Herein, N-doped and 3D hierarchical porous graphene nanofoam (N-GNF) is created on carbon fibers (CFs) by employing a facile, fast, and environmentally friendly strategy of N2 plasma activation. After an appropriated N2 plasma activation, the graphene nanosheets (GNSs) synthesized by Ar/CH4 plasma deposition transform into N-GNF successfully. N doping donates rich active sites and increases the hydrophilia, while hierarchical nanoarchitecture exposes an enlarged effective contact area at the interface between electrode and electrolyte and affords sufficient space for accommodating more electrolytes. The as-assembled flexible N-GNF@CFs//Zn NSs@CFs Zn ion capacitor delivered a high energy density of 105.2 Wh kg−1 at 378.6 W kg−1 and initial capacity retention of 87.9% at the current of 2 A g−1 after a long cycle of 10,000. [Display omitted] •N-doped and 3D porous graphene nanofoam was prepared by N2 plasma activation•N-GNF has rich active sites and micro/mesoporous nanoarchitecture•N-GNF@CFs based ZIC exhibits enhanced electrochemical properties Electrochemical energy storage; Materials science; Energy materials.