Effect of post-spinning on the electrical and electrochemical properties of wet spun graphene fibre

Abstract

There is an urgent need for electroactive materials that exhibit high electrochemical performance and mechanically-compliant properties while also retaining high strength and durability. Single graphene sheets have a large electroactive surface area and excellent electrical properties. However, to transfer the excellent mechanical and physical properties of individual graphene to macrostructures for practical application remains a challenge. Herein we demonstrate the effect of carbon nanotubes and/or conducting polymer on electrical and electrochemical properties of graphene fibres. The hybrid graphene/carbon nanotube/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) fiber possessed significantly higher electrical conductivity (over 400 S cm⁻¹) compared to a graphene fiber. This value is ≈500% higher than the reduced graphene oxide fiber. The graphene fibers show impressive electrochemical responses with a specific capacitance in excess of 499 F cm⁻³ at the scan rate of 5 mV S⁻¹. This was significantly enhanced for hybrid graphene/CNT/PEDOT fiber by ≈221% compared to graphene fibre at the scan rate of 1000 mV s⁻¹.