Low-Cost, High-Efficiency Conductive Papers Fabricated Using Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes, Carbon Blacks and Polyvinyl Alcohol as Conducting Agents

Abstract

Paper-based electronics or energy storage devices are emerging as next-generation technology. However, conducting agents for paper electrodes are prohibitively expensive at present. In this work, we demonstrate a facile and cost-effective way of converting sheets of commercial papers into high-performance conductive electrodes for supercapacitors. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs), carbon blacks (CBs), and polyvinyl alcohol were successfully employed to fabricate conductive, flexible, bendable, disposable and foldable paper electrodes. The CNTs showed higher mass-specific capacitance (219 Fg(-1)), area-specific capacitance (9.8 mFcm(-2)), and energy density (30 Wh kg(-1)). Carbon blacks also demonstrated significantly large mass-specific capacitance (92 Fg(-1)) and area-specific capacitance (4.4 mFcm(-2)). This work is the first report on carbon-blacks-based paper electrodes of supercapacitors. Our method could provide a scalable way to realize paper-based electrode materials, which could find applications in next generation wearable devices. (C) 2015 The Electrochemical Society. All rights reserved.