Rapid Preparation of Porous Graphene by Microwave-Assisted Chemical Etching for Electrochemical Energy Storage

Porous graphene materials possess a larger specific surface area and a more abundant presence of active sites compared to non-porous graphene materials, resulting in enhanced electrochemical properties. The presence of in-plane nanopores facilitates the transmission of ions and mass, further expanding the potential applications of graphene materials in electrochemical energy storage and various other fields. In this study, a rapid synthesis of porous graphene was achieved through a microwave-assisted chemical etching method. With the aid of microwave radiation, the etchant efficiently reduced the oxygen-containing groups within the graphene structure, consequently generating nanopores with an approximate diameter of 10 nm. By optimizing the microwave treatment parameters, including pretreatment time, etching time, amount of etchant H2O2, and microwave power, the area percentage of nanopores in the graphene material was controlled to enhance its electrochemical properties. Porous graphene materials exhibited excellent specific capacitance and rate capability, making it a promising material for capacitor applications. Moreover, the lower internal resistance of porous graphene, compared to non-porous graphene, demonstrated the significant role of nanopores in enhancing the electrochemical performance. These findings highlight the potential of porous graphene for use in electrochemical energy storage.