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The role of graphene for electrochemical energy storage

Abstract

Since its first isolation in 2004, graphene has become one of the hottest topics in the field of materials science, and its highly appealing properties have led to a plethora of scientific papers. Among the many affected areas of materials science, this 'graphene fever' has influenced particularly the world of electrochemical energy-storage devices. Despite widespread enthusiasm, it is not yet clear whether graphene could really lead to progress in the field. Here we discuss the most recent applications of graphene — both as an active material and as an inactive component — from lithium-ion batteries and electrochemical capacitors to emerging technologies such as metal–air and magnesium-ion batteries. By critically analysing state-of-the-art technologies, we aim to address the benefits and issues of graphene-based materials, as well as outline the most promising results and applications so far.

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Figure 1: Schematic of the most common graphene production methods.
Figure 2
Figure 3: Features and limitations of graphene as an active material in different EESDs.
Figure 4: Structural models and a possible drawback of graphene composites.

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Acknowledgements

R.R., A.V. and S.P. acknowledge the financial support of Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF) within the project 'IES, Innovative Elektrochemische Superkondensatoren' (contract number 03EK3010). B.S. is grateful to the Helmholtz Institute Ulm for a six-month visiting professorship position.

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R.R. and A.V. designed the outline of the Progress Article, wrote the manuscript and conceived the figures and tables. S.P. and B.S. supervised and revised the writing.

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Correspondence to Stefano Passerini or Bruno Scrosati.

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Raccichini, R., Varzi, A., Passerini, S. et al. The role of graphene for electrochemical energy storage. Nature Mater 14, 271–279 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat4170

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