Advanced Graphene-Based Binder-Free Electrodes for High-Performance Energy Storage

• Published in: Advanced materials (Weinheim) Vol. 27; no. 36; pp. 5264 - 5279
• Main Authors: Ji, Junyi, Li, Yang, Peng, Wenchao, Zhang, Guoliang, Zhang, Fengbao, Fan, Xiaobin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Blackwell Publishing Ltd 23.09.2015
• Subjects: binder-free; Binders; Demand; Devices; Durability; Electrodes; Energy storage; free-standing; Graphene; graphene-based electrodes; Networks; porous structures; Research and development; porous structures; free-standing; energy storage; graphene-based electrodes; binder-free
• ISSN: 0935-9648; 1521-4095; 1521-4095
• DOI: 10.1002/adma.201501115

The increasing demand for energy has triggered tremendous research effort for the development of high‐performance and durable energy‐storage devices. Advanced graphene‐based electrodes with high electrical conductivity and ion accessibility can exhibit superior electrochemical performance in energy‐storage devices. Among them, binder‐free configurations can enhance the electron conductivity of the electrode, which leads to a higher capacity by avoiding the addition of non‐conductive and inactive binders. Graphene, a 2D material, can be fabricated into a porous and flexible structure with an interconnected conductive network. Such a conductive structure is favorable for both electron and ion transport to the entire electrode surface. In this review, the main processes used to prepare binder‐free graphene‐based hybrids with high porosity and well‐designed electron conductive networks are summarized. Then, the applications of free‐standing binder‐free graphene‐based electrodes in energy‐storage devices are discussed. Future research aspects with regard to overcoming the technological bottlenecks are also proposed. Advanced graphene‐based binder‐free electrodes with high energy‐storage performance are reviewed with regard to recent progress in their research and development, providing a fundamental outline of the design and preparation of binder‐free electrodes. Guidance for the design of next‐generation energy‐storage electrodes is provided. The challenges and perspectives of the field of graphene‐based binder‐free electrodes are also discussed.