TY - JOUR

T1 - Plasma-Treated Cobalt-Doped Nanoporous Graphene for Advanced Electrochemical Applications

AU - Knabl, Florian

AU - Kostoglou, Nikolaos

AU - Gupta, Ram K.

AU - Tarat, Afshin

AU - Hinder, Steven J.

AU - Baker, Mark

AU - Rebholz, Claus

AU - Mitterer, Christian

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2024 by the authors.

PY - 2024/6/26

Y1 - 2024/6/26

N2 - Metal–carbon nanocomposites are identified as key contenders for enhancing water splitting through the oxygen evolution reaction and boosting supercapacitor energy storage capacitances. This study utilizes plasma treatment to transform natural graphite into nanoporous few-layer graphene, followed by additional milling and plasma steps to synthesize a cobalt–graphene nanocomposite. Comprehensive structural characterization was conducted using scanning and transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, gas sorption analysis and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Electrochemical evaluations further assessed the materials’ oxygen evolution reaction and supercapacitor performance. Although the specific surface area of the nanoporous carbon decreases from 780 to 480 m 2/g in the transition to the resulting nanocomposite, it maintains its nanoporous structure and delivers a competitive electrochemical performance, as evidenced by an overpotential of 290 mV and a Tafel slope of 110 mV/dec. This demonstrates the efficacy of plasma treatment in the surface functionalization of carbon-based materials, highlighting its potential for large-scale chemical-free application due to its environmental friendliness and scalability, paving the way toward future applications.

AB - Metal–carbon nanocomposites are identified as key contenders for enhancing water splitting through the oxygen evolution reaction and boosting supercapacitor energy storage capacitances. This study utilizes plasma treatment to transform natural graphite into nanoporous few-layer graphene, followed by additional milling and plasma steps to synthesize a cobalt–graphene nanocomposite. Comprehensive structural characterization was conducted using scanning and transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, gas sorption analysis and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Electrochemical evaluations further assessed the materials’ oxygen evolution reaction and supercapacitor performance. Although the specific surface area of the nanoporous carbon decreases from 780 to 480 m 2/g in the transition to the resulting nanocomposite, it maintains its nanoporous structure and delivers a competitive electrochemical performance, as evidenced by an overpotential of 290 mV and a Tafel slope of 110 mV/dec. This demonstrates the efficacy of plasma treatment in the surface functionalization of carbon-based materials, highlighting its potential for large-scale chemical-free application due to its environmental friendliness and scalability, paving the way toward future applications.

KW - cobalt

KW - graphene

KW - nanocomposites

KW - nanoporous powders

KW - oxygen evolution reaction

KW - plasma

KW - supercapacitor

KW - water splitting

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85196887095&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3390/c10020031

DO - 10.3390/c10020031

M3 - Article

VL - 10.2024

JO - C – journal of carbon research

JF - C – journal of carbon research

SN - 2311-5629

IS - 2

M1 - 31

ER -