Facile Synthesis of Graphene with Fast Ion/Electron Channels for High-Performance Symmetric Lithium-Ion Capacitors

With the battery-type anode and capacitor-type cathode, lithium-ion capacitors (LICs) are expected to exhibit both high energy and high power density but suffer from the mismatch of the electrode reaction kinetics and capacity. Herein, to alleviate the mismatch between the two electrodes and synergistically enhance the energy/power density, we design a method of microwave irradiation reduction to prepare graphene-based electrode material (MRPG/CNT) with fast ion/electron pathway. The three-dimensional structure of CNT intercalation to graphene inhibits the restacking of graphene sheets and improves the conductivity of the electrode material, resulting a rapid ion and electron diffusion channel. Due to its specific properties, MRPG/CNT materials can be used as both anode and cathode electrodes of LICs at the same time. As anode, MRPG/CNT shows a high capacity of 1200 mAh g–1 as well as high rate performance. As cathode, MRPG/CNT displays a high capacity of 108 mAh g–1 and the capacity retention of 100% after 8000 cycles. Coupling the prelithiated MRPG/CNT anode with MRPG/CNT cathode gives a full-graphene-based symmetric LIC, which achieves a high energy density of 232.6 Wh kg–1 at 226.0 W kg–1, 111.2 Wh kg–1 at the ultrahigh power density of 45.2 kW kg–1, and superior capacity retention of 86% after 5000 cycles. The structure design of this electrode provides a new strategy for alleviating the mismatch of LIC electrodes and constructing high-performance symmetrical LICs.