Graphene exfoliation in cyrene for the sustainable production of microsupercapacitors

Graphene and its composites have attracted much attention for applications in energy storage systems. However, the toxic solvents required for the exfoliation process have hampered the exploitation of its properties. In this work, graphene dispersions are obtained via liquid phase exfoliation (LPE)...

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Main Authors: Pedro Moreira, David Carvalho, Rodrigo Abreu, Maria D Alba, Joaquín Ramírez-Rico, Elvira Fortunato, Rodrigo Martins, Joana Vaz Pinto, Emanuel Carlos, João Coelho
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IOP Publishing 2025-01-01
Series:JPhys Energy
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7655/adca57
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author Pedro Moreira
David Carvalho
Rodrigo Abreu
Maria D Alba
Joaquín Ramírez-Rico
Elvira Fortunato
Rodrigo Martins
Joana Vaz Pinto
Emanuel Carlos
João Coelho
author_facet Pedro Moreira
David Carvalho
Rodrigo Abreu
Maria D Alba
Joaquín Ramírez-Rico
Elvira Fortunato
Rodrigo Martins
Joana Vaz Pinto
Emanuel Carlos
João Coelho
author_sort Pedro Moreira
collection DOAJ
description Graphene and its composites have attracted much attention for applications in energy storage systems. However, the toxic solvents required for the exfoliation process have hampered the exploitation of its properties. In this work, graphene dispersions are obtained via liquid phase exfoliation (LPE) of graphite in cyrene, an environmentally friendly solvent with solubility parameters like those of N-methyl-2-pirrolidone. The obtained dispersions with a concentration of 0.2 mg ml ^−1 comprised multilayered graphene sheets with lateral sizes in the hundreds of nanometers, as confirmed by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. Mixing the obtained dispersions with ethanol made it possible to collect the graphene, which was redispersed in 2-Propanol. This active material was used to fabricate supercapacitor electrodes using a scalable spray deposition method on carbon nanotube (CNT) current collectors with the aid of vinyl masks. The device, tested with a PVA/LiCl gel electrolyte, achieved a specific capacitance of 3.4 mF cm ^−2 (0.015 mA cm ^−2 ). In addition, the devices show excellent cycling stability (>10 000 cycles at 0.5 mA cm ^−2 ) and good mechanical properties, losing less than 10% of initial capacitance after 1000 bending cycles. This work demonstrates the adaptability of liquid-phase exfoliation to produce graphene sustainably, providing the proof-of-concept for further 2D materials processing and green microsupercapacitor (MSC) fabrication.
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spelling doaj-art-cf6c7d10b6f740b2b33ed42aca07cd032025-08-20T03:14:46ZengIOP PublishingJPhys Energy2515-76552025-01-017303500510.1088/2515-7655/adca57Graphene exfoliation in cyrene for the sustainable production of microsupercapacitorsPedro Moreira0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2381-4157David Carvalho1https://orcid.org/0009-0007-1167-9222Rodrigo Abreu2https://orcid.org/0009-0004-2007-2228Maria D Alba3https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0025-3078Joaquín Ramírez-Rico4https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1184-0756Elvira Fortunato5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4202-7047Rodrigo Martins6https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1997-7669Joana Vaz Pinto7https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0847-7711Emanuel Carlos8https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5956-5757João Coelho9https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4217-3842CENIMAT|i3N, Department of Materials Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa and CEMOP/UNINOVA , Campus da Caparica, Caparica, 2829-516, PortugalCENIMAT|i3N, Department of Materials Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa and CEMOP/UNINOVA , Campus da Caparica, Caparica, 2829-516, PortugalCENIMAT|i3N, Department of Materials Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa and CEMOP/UNINOVA , Campus da Caparica, Caparica, 2829-516, PortugalInstituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Sevilla, CSIC—Universidad de Sevilla , Avda. Américo Vespucio 49, 41092 Seville, SpainInstituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Sevilla, CSIC—Universidad de Sevilla , Avda. Américo Vespucio 49, 41092 Seville, Spain; Dpto. Física de La Materia Condensada, Universidad de Sevilla , Avda. Reina Mercedes SN, 41012 Seville, SpainCENIMAT|i3N, Department of Materials Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa and CEMOP/UNINOVA , Campus da Caparica, Caparica, 2829-516, PortugalCENIMAT|i3N, Department of Materials Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa and CEMOP/UNINOVA , Campus da Caparica, Caparica, 2829-516, PortugalCENIMAT|i3N, Department of Materials Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa and CEMOP/UNINOVA , Campus da Caparica, Caparica, 2829-516, PortugalCENIMAT|i3N, Department of Materials Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa and CEMOP/UNINOVA , Campus da Caparica, Caparica, 2829-516, PortugalCENIMAT|i3N, Department of Materials Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa and CEMOP/UNINOVA , Campus da Caparica, Caparica, 2829-516, Portugal; Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Sevilla, CSIC—Universidad de Sevilla , Avda. Américo Vespucio 49, 41092 Seville, Spain; Dpto. Física de La Materia Condensada, Universidad de Sevilla , Avda. Reina Mercedes SN, 41012 Seville, SpainGraphene and its composites have attracted much attention for applications in energy storage systems. However, the toxic solvents required for the exfoliation process have hampered the exploitation of its properties. In this work, graphene dispersions are obtained via liquid phase exfoliation (LPE) of graphite in cyrene, an environmentally friendly solvent with solubility parameters like those of N-methyl-2-pirrolidone. The obtained dispersions with a concentration of 0.2 mg ml ^−1 comprised multilayered graphene sheets with lateral sizes in the hundreds of nanometers, as confirmed by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. Mixing the obtained dispersions with ethanol made it possible to collect the graphene, which was redispersed in 2-Propanol. This active material was used to fabricate supercapacitor electrodes using a scalable spray deposition method on carbon nanotube (CNT) current collectors with the aid of vinyl masks. The device, tested with a PVA/LiCl gel electrolyte, achieved a specific capacitance of 3.4 mF cm ^−2 (0.015 mA cm ^−2 ). In addition, the devices show excellent cycling stability (>10 000 cycles at 0.5 mA cm ^−2 ) and good mechanical properties, losing less than 10% of initial capacitance after 1000 bending cycles. This work demonstrates the adaptability of liquid-phase exfoliation to produce graphene sustainably, providing the proof-of-concept for further 2D materials processing and green microsupercapacitor (MSC) fabrication.https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7655/adca57graphenecyreneenergy storageflexible electronicssustainable fabrication
spellingShingle Pedro Moreira
David Carvalho
Rodrigo Abreu
Maria D Alba
Joaquín Ramírez-Rico
Elvira Fortunato
Rodrigo Martins
Joana Vaz Pinto
Emanuel Carlos
João Coelho
Graphene exfoliation in cyrene for the sustainable production of microsupercapacitors
JPhys Energy
graphene
cyrene
energy storage
flexible electronics
sustainable fabrication
title Graphene exfoliation in cyrene for the sustainable production of microsupercapacitors
title_full Graphene exfoliation in cyrene for the sustainable production of microsupercapacitors
title_fullStr Graphene exfoliation in cyrene for the sustainable production of microsupercapacitors
title_full_unstemmed Graphene exfoliation in cyrene for the sustainable production of microsupercapacitors
title_short Graphene exfoliation in cyrene for the sustainable production of microsupercapacitors
title_sort graphene exfoliation in cyrene for the sustainable production of microsupercapacitors
topic graphene
cyrene
energy storage
flexible electronics
sustainable fabrication
url https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7655/adca57
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