Boron cross-linked graphene oxide/polyvinyl alcohol nanocomposite gel electrolyte for flexible solid-state electric double layer capacitor with high performance

Huang, Yi-Fu; Wu, Peng-Fei; Zhang, Ming-Qiu; Ruan, Wen-Hong; Giannelis, Emmanuel P.

Boron cross-linked graphene oxide/polyvinyl alcohol nanocomposite gel electrolyte for flexible solid-state electric double layer capacitor with high performance

Type

Article

Authors

Huang, Yi-Fu
Wu, Peng-Fei
Zhang, Ming-Qiu
Ruan, Wen-Hong
Giannelis, Emmanuel P.

KAUST Grant Number

KUS-C1-018-02

Date

2014-06

Abstract

A new family of boron cross-linked graphene oxide/polyvinyl alcohol (GO-B-PVA) nanocomposite gels is prepared by freeze-thaw/boron cross-linking method. Then the gel electrolytes saturated with KOH solution are assembled into electric double layer capacitors (EDLCs). Structure, thermal and mechanical properties of GO-B-PVA are explored. The electrochemical properties of EDLCs using GO-B-PVA/KOH are investigated, and compared with those using GO-PVA/KOH gel or KOH solution electrolyte. FTIR shows that boron cross-links are introduced into GO-PVA, while the boronic structure inserted into agglomerated GO sheets is demonstrated by DMA analysis. The synergy effect of the GO and the boron crosslinking benefits for ionic conductivity due to unblocking ion channels, and for improvement of thermal stability and mechanical properties of the electrolytes. Higher specific capacitance and better cycle stability of EDLCs are obtained by using the GO-B-PVA/KOH electrolyte, especially the one at higher GO content. The nanocomposite gel electrolytes with excellent electrochemical properties and solid-like character are candidates for the industrial application in high-performance flexible solid-state EDLCs. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd.

Citation

Huang Y-F, Wu P-F, Zhang M-Q, Ruan W-H, Giannelis EP (2014) Boron cross-linked graphene oxide/polyvinyl alcohol nanocomposite gel electrolyte for flexible solid-state electric double layer capacitor with high performance. Electrochimica Acta 132: 103–111. Available: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2014.03.151.

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful for the support of the Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant: 51173207), Key projects of Guangdong Education Office (Grant: cxzd1101) and the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong, China (Grants: 2011B090500004, 2012B091100313, 2012A090100006 and 2013C2FC0009). EPG acknowledges support from the Energy Materials Center at Cornell, an Energy Frontier Research Center funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, under Award No. DESC0001086. This publication is based on work supported in part by Award No. KUS-C1-018-02 from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology.