Percolating Film of Pillared Graphene Layer Integrated with Silver Nanowire Network for Transparent and Flexible Supercapacitors

Transparent and flexible supercapacitors (TFSCs) are viable power sources for next-generation wearable electronics. The ingenious design of the transparent electrode determines the performance of TFSCs. A percolating film of a pillared graphene layer integrated with a silver nanowire network as the transparent electrode was prepared, by which TFSC devices exhibit a significantly improved performance contrastively. Under the condition of the same transmittance, about 27-72% improvement in the areal capacitance can be achieved. On the one hand, the pillars of carbon nanotube (CNT) were distributed in the graphene layer uniformly, enlarging the inner distance of adjacent graphene layers and providing an open structure for extra ion transport and storage of TFSCs. On the other hand, the introduced CNT could facilitate the electron transport at the direction perpendicular to the graphene basal plane, enhancing the electronic conductivity of the graphene layer. More importantly, the formed percolating film ensures an efficient transport of electron along with the silver nanowire when it encounters the obstacle within the graphene layer, resulting in a highly conductive electrode. The TFSC device with a good compatibility indicates a reliable practicability, which provides a facile route toward the design of high-performance TFSCs.