The Science

Graphene

Ever since its first discovery in an isolate form in 2004, graphene has sparked wide interest due to its
superior mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties. Graphene is a material that consists of single
layer of one-atom-thick planar sp2 bonded carbon atoms. Graphene in planar state is often
considered as fundamental of various fullerene materials, such as in buckyballs and carbon
nanotube, which each of them possessed different properties (Brownson, Kampouris, & Banks,
2011).

Figure 1. Graphene layer as fundamental of other fullerene materials

The unique electrical properties of single layer graphene making it as interesting subject to explore
in research around energy production and storage field. As a result of its unique structure of strongly
bonded carbon network, graphene has high electrical conductivity in wide range of temperatures.
Furthermore, compared to carbon nanotube structure, single layer graphene offers advantages in
electron transfer speed. Electron transfer in single layer graphene occurs in two-dimensional
environment and takes place from its edge rather than its side. This allows electron transfer of single
layer graphene to be faster. Another properties that makes single layer graphene superior than
other form of carbon structure is its large surface area, which is an important characteristic of an
electrode material (Brownson et al., 2011).

One of the concentration of research around graphene is the synthesis method so that it can be
manufactured in commercial scale. The first invention of single layer graphene in 2004 involves
mechanical exfoliation of graphite layer. This is possible since graphite basically consists of stacked
layer of graphene which bonded by van der Waals force. There are some variations of this exfoliation
process, including the liquid phase exfoliation combined by reduction of graphene oxide. Other
common approach in synthesising single graphene layer is by chemical vapor deposition. Single layer
graphene was grown on the surface of metal from carbon containing gases during annealing process
(Choi, Lahiri, Seelaboyina, & Kang, 2010).

Supercapacitor as energy storage

In this modern time, the demand of reliable energy storage is inevitably growing. This encourages
research in finding alternatives of energy storages. Supercapacitor comes as one alternative of
energy storage and has been used in application that requires high charge/discharge cycles, such as
in electric vehicle industry and infrastructure.

Figure 2. Electric Double Layer Capacitor charging/discharging mechanism

Supercapacitor typically consists of two electrodes, separator between those electrodes, current
collector which conducts electrical current from each electrode. It has rough electrode surfaces that
allows more surface area than conventional capacitor and a liquid dielectric. Supercapacitor stores
energy electrostatically without any chemical bond formation between electrodes and electrolytes
during charges and discharges (Brownson et al., 2011). In charged state, positive ions migrate to
negative electrodes and vice versa. In discharged state, positive and negative ions distributed
randomly within the cell. This mechanism enables supercapacitor to have more instantaneous
charge/discharge cycle as opposed to batteries (Shuvo, 2012). Supercapacitor can endure more
number of cycles than battery, makes it as a best option for energy storage solution in rural area
where maintenance is rarely needed. However, the major limitation of more extensive application of
supercapacitor is its lower energy density compared to conventional battery.

Table. .. Typical properties of electrical energy storage devices

Performance of a supercapacitor will increase along with the increase of conductive surface area of
electrodes (Shuvo, 2012). Some widely-used electrodes material for supercapacitor are porous
carbon, metal oxide, and conducting polymers. According to that requirement, single layer graphene
which has vast surface area, excellent conductivity and capacitance, becomes a highly promising
material for supercapacitor electrode (Brownson et al., 2011).