Graphene-Based Systems for Enhanced Energy Storage

Extensive global research efforts have focused on the exploitation of graphene for enhanced energy storage. Novel graphene-based composite material electrodes have been developed, in many cases with reports of outstanding performance. However, the development of these composites involve extremely complex and costly procedures/methods whose scalability and eventual commercial exploitation is extremely hard [1]. Within the present activity the use of graphene nanotechnology is exploited to manufacture electrodes for supercapacitors. The goal however is to achieve electrodes with increased specific energy density (compared to the currently commercially available products) using proven and simple manufacturing procedures that can easily be scaled-up and offer competitive products. The roadmap was developed under the framework of European Space Agency highlighting the main advantages brought up from this technology. The activity is separated in three parallel routes; the development and test planning of small–scale production of graphene based materials via the tape casting technology, the establishment of a reliable and low cost industrial production process (scale-up) for these materials and the development and testing of an energy storage demonstrator that shall incorporate the novel electrodes and exhibit their favorable characteristics in energy storage applications for use in space