Rapid and controllable synthesis of nitrogen doped reduced graphene oxide using microwave-assisted hydrothermal reaction for high power-density supercapacitors

Abstract

Nitrogen doped reduced graphene oxide (N-RGO) is synthesized using microwave-assisted hydrothermal (MAHA) reaction. The proper configurations of nitrogen atoms in graphene sheets considerably increase the intrinsic electrical properties of N-RGO resultantly improving its capacitance and other kinetic properties in supercapacitor. Here, under the controlled MAHA reaction, we adjusted the ratio of nitrogen configurations (pyridinic-N, pyrrolic-N and quaternary-N) for the most optimum supercapacitor performances of N-RGOs in the shortest time ever reported, and clarified that its enhanced electrical conductivity and supercapacitor performances are attributed to its enlarged concentration of quaternary-N. With this MAHA reaction, we present a supercapacitor based on N-RGO, which is capable of displaying the promising electrochemical properties. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.