Reduced graphene oxide and vertically aligned carbon nanotubes superhydrophilic films for supercapacitors devices

• Graphene nanosheets were produced onto wire rods.
• RGO and VACNT-O were evaluated and compared as supercapacitor electrode.
• RGO and VACNT-O have structural and electrochemical properties quite similars.
• The materials present good specific capacitance, energy storage and power delivery.

Reduced graphene oxide (RGO) and vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (VACNT) superhydrophilic films were prepared by chemical vapor deposition techniques for electrical energy storage investigations. These electrodes were characterized in terms of their material and electrochemical properties by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), surface wettability, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), energy dispersive and Raman spectroscopies, cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge–discharge. We observed several physical structural and electrochemical similarities between these carbon-based materials with particular attention to very good specific capacitance, ultra-high energy storage and fast power delivery. Our results showed that the main difference between specific capacitance values is attributed to pseudocapacitive contribution and high density of multiwall nanotubes tips. In this work we have tested a supercapacitor device using the VACNT electrodes.

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