Enhancement of the energy storage properties of supercapacitors using graphene nanosheets dispersed with metal oxide-loaded carbon nanotubes

Graphene nanosheets (GNs) dispersed with SnO2 nanoparticles loaded multiwalled carbon nanotubes (SnO2-MWCNTs) were investigated as electrode materials for supercapacitors. SnO2-MWCNTs were obtained by a chemical method followed by calcination. GNs/SnO2-MWCNTs nanocomposites were prepared by ultrasonication of the GNs and SnO 2-MWCNTs. Electrochemical double layer capacitors were fabricated using the composite as the electrode material and aqueous KOH as the electrolyte. Electrochemical performance of the composite electrodes were compared to that of pure GNs electrodes and the results are discussed. Electrochemical measurements show that the maximum specific capacitance, power density and energy density obtained for supercapacitor using GNs/SnO 2-MWCNTs nanocomposite electrodes were respectively 224 F g -1, 17.6 kW kg-1 and 31 Wh kg-1. The fabricated supercapacitor device exhibited excellent cycle life with ∼81% of the initial specific capacitance retained after 6000 cycles. The results suggest that the hybrid composite is a promising supercapacitor electrode material. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.