Development of Supercapacitor Electrodes with High Strength via Inkjet Printing of Reduced Graphene Oxide/Aramid Nanofibers Membranes

Abstract

Supercapacitors (SCs), as emerging electrochemical energy storage devices, have garnered widespread attention due to their rapid charge–discharge characteristics and high power density. With the growing demand for electronic devices and the diversification of applications in daily life scenarios, SCs with outstanding flexibility, mechanical and electrochemical performance are becoming increasingly important. In this study, an in situ reduction method was employed, utilizing inkjet printing technology to deposit reduced graphene oxide (rGO) onto the prepared aramid nanofibrous (ANFs)/PVDF/PVA composite film for the fabrication of solid-state SCs. The optimized ANFs/PVDF/PVA composite film exhibited a tensile strength and Young's modulus of 185 N and 760 MPa, respectively. Even in a bent state, the cyclic voltammetry (CV) curves remained essentially unchanged. At a current density of 0.1 A/g, the specific capacitance and energy density reached 120.9 F/g and 10.8 Wh/kg, respectively, while at a current density of 0.5 A/g, the power density reached 3201 W/kg. After 5000 charge–discharge cycles, the efficiency maintained above 90%. Such exceptional electrochemical and mechanical performance provides more options for the manufacturing of next-generation portable and wearable electronic devices.