Free-Standing Graphene Materials for Supercapacitors

Abstract

Free standing graphene belongs to the pioneering group of carbonaceous nanomaterial and has gained large appreciation in the field storage and conversion of energy. Free standing or self-supported graphene materials are made up of dense graphene sheets arranged in the form of three dimensional structures like foam, films, monoliths, papers, and aerogels with hierarchical porous structure. In last few decades, speedy growth in the binder free graphene based super-capacitors can be credited to their influential properties like flexibility, large surface to volume ratio, high mechanical durability, electrical and thermal conductivity, and light weight. The free standing graphene also delivers us with short and easy diffusion pathway for ions (generated from electrolytes), channels for electron transport and composites with active materials which provide a synergistic effect. This chapter will provide the information about synthesis of free standing graphenes and their recent advancements as the efficient electrode materials for supercapacitors.