Polymer/Graphene Composites for Energy Storage

Abstract

In recent years, tremendous research effort has been focused on novel supercapacitors because of their stable ultra-high power density, cycling life, and fast charging–discharging rate. These researches aimed at increasing the energy density of supercapacitors without sacrificing high power capability so that they reach the levels achieved in batteries and at lowering fabrication costs. For this purpose, conjugated polymers have been effectively integrated with graphene nanosheets for supercapacitor applications, which sparked great excitement in superior performance owing to their synergistic effects on charge absorption and transportation, and extraordinary characteristic of the reversible oxidation–reduction activity which enables a high energy density. In this chapter, simple pathways to tailor polymer/graphene composites architectures for improving supercapacitor performances were summarized. Further, a theoretical model has been established to quantify the influences of various factors on the supercapacitor behaviors. On this basis, challenges and perspectives in this exciting field are also discussed. These results not only provide fundamental insight into supercapacitors but also offer an important guideline for future design of advanced next-generation supercapacitors for industrial and consumer applications.