Hydrothermal synthesis and activation of graphene-incorporated nitrogen-rich carbon composite for high-performance supercapacitors

Graphene-incorporated nitrogen-rich carbon composite with nitrogen content of ca. 10 wt.% has been synthesized by an effective yet simple hydrothermal reaction of glucosamine in the presence of graphene oxide (GO). The nitrogen content of carbon composite is nearly twice as high as that of hydrothermal carbon without graphene. GO is favorable for the high nitrogen doping in the carbon composite by the reaction between the glucosamine-released ammonia and GO. The hydrothermal carbon composite is further activated by KOH, and graphene in the activated carbon composite demonstrates a positive effect of increasing specific surface area, pore volume and electrical conductivity, resulting in superior electrochemical performance. The activated carbon composite with higher specific surface area and micropore volume possesses higher specific capacitance with a value of 300 F g−1 at 0.1 A g−1 in 6 M KOH aqueous solution in the two electrode cell. Larger mesopore volume and higher conductivity of the activated carbon composite will provide fast ion and electron transfer, thus leading to higher rate capacity with a capacitance retention of 76% at 8 A g−1 in comparison to the activated hydrothermal carbon without graphene.