Silver nanoparticles decorated on a three-dimensional graphene scaffold for electrochemical applications

•Synthesis of graphene foam using chemical vapour deposition (CVD).•Use of e-beam evaporator to deposit silver nanoparticles onto a 3D GF as support.•SEM & TEM reveal adsorption of Ag nanoparticles on the 3D GF.•Ag nanoparticles on 3D GF show improved electrochemical behaviour.

Silver metal nanoparticles were decorated by electron beam evaporation on graphene foam (GF) grown by chemical vapour deposition. X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy were used to investigate the structure and morphology of the graphene foam/silver nanoparticles (GF/Ag). Both samples were tested as electrodes for supercapacitors. The GF/Ag exhibited a significantly higher capacitive performance, including a specific capacitance value of (~110 Fg−1) and excellent cyclability in a three-electrode electrochemical cell. These results demonstrate that graphene foam could be an excellent platform for metal particles for investigating improved electrochemical performance.