Dual Tuning of Biomass-Derived Hierarchical Carbon Nanostructures for Supercapacitors: the Role of Balanced Meso/Microporosity and Graphene

Abstract Rational design of advanced carbon nanomaterials with a balanced mesoporosity to microporosity is highly desirable for achieving high energy/power density for supercapacitors because the mesopore can allow better transport pathways for the solvated ions of larger than 1 nm. Inspired by the inherent meso/macroporous architecture and huge absorption ability to aqueous solution of auricularia biomass, we demonstrate a new biomass-derived synthesis process for the three-dimensional (3D) few-layered graphene nanosheets incorporated hierarchical porous carbon (GHPC) nanohybrids. The as-prepared GHPC nanohybrids possess a balanced mesoporosity to microporosity with much improved conductivity, which is highly desirable for achieving high energy/power density for supercapacitors. As we predicted, they delivered a high specific capacitance of 256 F g −1 at 1 A g −1 with excellent rate capability (120 F g −1 at 50 A g −1 ) and long cycle life (92% capacity retention after 10000 cycles) for symmetric supercapacitors in 1 M H 2 SO 4 . Based on the as-obtained carbon materials, a flexible and all-solid-state supercapacitor was also assembled, which can be fully recharged within 10 s and able to light an LED even under bended state. Such excellent performance is at least comparable to the best reports in the literature for two-electrode configuration under aqueous systems.