Optimizing Graphene-Enhanced Carbon Materials for Printed Supercapacitor Applications

Abstract

The depletion of fossil resources and rising greenhouse gas emissions emphasize the need for sustainable energy sources like solar, hydro, and wind to combat climate change. However, the intermittent nature of renewable energy requires efficient energy storage solutions. Supercapacitors (SCs) have emerged as vital components in energy storage systems, especially for IoT devices, AI, wearable electronics, and wireless sensor networks.<br/>SCs are classified into Electrochemical Double-Layer Capacitors (EDLCs) and pseudocapacitors, offering benefits such as rapid charge propagation, high power density, low resistance, and long cycle life. Despite these advantages, SCs face limitations, including lower energy density compared to batteries and higher self-discharge rates.<br/>This study explores the development of activated wood carbon (AWC) materials for SC electrodes, optimizing graphene content through structural and electrochemical analysis. SCs fabricated with these materials demonstrated improved specific capacitance and energy density. Additionally, the impact of buffered versus non-buffered electrolytes on performance was analyzed, showing that limiting buffer capacity can increase the SCs' usable potential window.<br/>