Production and characterization of nanostructured binary and ternary composites of carbon fiber/graphene oxide/nickel oxide as high performance electrodes in supercapacitors

Abstract

The growing demand for energy has stimulated research into energy storage and conversion systems. The International Energy Agency, for example, estimates that global energy demand will increase by about a third over the next twenty years [1]. Among these systems, supercapacitors have been outstanding due to their unique properties such as high power density, long life cycles and rapid loading-discharge [2, 3, 4]. In these systems, the electrodes are the most important parts in the search for their best performance and, therefore, the challenge is to obtain new composite materials, with high-energy efficiency. To this end, this project aims at the production and characterization of composites formed by Graphene Oxide (OG), Carbon Fiber (FC) and Nickel Oxide (NiO). First, two different OG syntheses will be performed, which will be reduced electrochemically on FC, forming the OGR/FC composite. Among these, the one with the best electrochemical response will be used in the next steps. Then, NiO synthesis will be performed, which will be calcined at different temperatures. The NiO obtained will be deposited on OGR/FC composites, which will be characterized morphologically by scanning electron microscopy and structurally by Raman scattering spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The electrochemical characterization will be studied by cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and charge/discharge tests. (AU)