Nitrogen-Doped Graphene Materials for Supercapacitor Applications

Nitrogen-doped graphene has emerged as a leading class of electrode materials for advanced supercapacitors, owing to its unique combination of high electrical conductivity, tunable surface chemistry and large accessible surface area. The substitutional incorporation of nitrogen atoms into the graphene lattice introduces defect sites and active edge functionalities that enhance both electrical double-layer capacitance and pseudocapacitance. Common nitrogen environments—pyridinic, pyrrolic and graphitic—modulate charge distribution, reduce charge-transfer resistance and facilitate rapid ion adsorption and desorption. Synthetic routes range from thermal annealing of graphene oxide in the presence of nitrogen precursors to one-pot solvothermal or hydrothermal treatments, as well as plasma or chemical vapour deposition techniques. Three-dimensional architectures and crumpled morphologies prevent sheet restacking, optimise ion‐transport pathways and maintain mechanical integrity during repeated cycling. Key performance metrics include specific capacitance (often exceeding 400 F g–1), energy density (up to 70 Wh kg–1) and long‐term stability (retention >90 % over thousands of cycles). Continued innovation in scalable, green synthesis and structural control promises to address the global demand for high‐power, durable energy‐storage systems in portable electronics, grid stabilisation and electric vehicles.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have demonstrated a cost-effective, green one-step synthesis of three-dimensional nitrogen-doped graphene sponge derived from waste polyethylene terephthalate. By co-pyrolysing polymer waste with urea, a hierarchically porous network rich in pyridinic and graphitic nitrogen sites is produced, offering rapid ion diffusion and high conductivity. Electrochemical measurements reveal a specific capacitance of around 405 F g–1 at 1 A g–1 and an energy density exceeding 65 Wh kg–1 in alkaline electrolyte, with capacitance retention above 85 % after 5 000 cycles. The work underscores the feasibility of upcycling plastic waste into high-performance supercapacitor electrodes through simple, scalable routes.

Nitrogen-Doped Graphene Materials for Supercapacitor Applications publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in nitrogen-doped graphene materials for supercapacitor applications across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Graphene: A single layer of sp²-bonded carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice, noted for high conductivity and surface area.

Doping: The intentional introduction of heteroatoms (such as nitrogen) into a host lattice to modify electronic and chemical properties.

Specific capacitance: The capacitance per unit mass of electrode material, typically expressed in farads per gram (F g–1).

Energy density: The amount of energy stored per unit mass, expressed in watt-hours per kilogram (Wh kg–1).

Electrical double-layer capacitance (EDLC): Charge storage at the electrode/electrolyte interface arising from electrostatic attraction of ions.

Pseudocapacitance: Faradaic charge storage associated with surface redox reactions, enhancing total capacitance.

Solvothermal synthesis: A method involving the reaction of precursors in a solvent at elevated temperature and pressure to yield nanostructured materials.

Hydrothermal method: A subset of solvothermal synthesis using water as the reaction medium under high-temperature and high-pressure conditions.

Cyclic voltammetry (CV): An electrochemical technique in which the potential of an electrode is cycled to probe redox activity and capacitance.

References

1. Development of High-Performance Supercapacitor based on a Novel Controllable Green Synthesis for 3D Nitrogen Doped Graphene. Scientific Reports (2019).
2. One-Step Solvothermal Synthesis by Ethylene Glycol to Produce N-rGO for Supercapacitor Applications. Nanomaterials (2023).
3. Impact of Dispersive Solvent and Temperature on Supercapacitor Performance of N-Doped Reduced Graphene Oxide. C – Journal of Carbon Research (2024).
4. High Performance of Functionalized Graphene Hydrogels Using Ethylenediamine for Supercapacitor Applications. Frontiers in Chemistry (2022).
5. Nitrogen-doped and crumpled graphene sheets with improved supercapacitance. Journal of Materials Chemistry A (2014).
6. Nitrogen-Doped Graphene: The Influence of Doping Level on the Charge-Transfer Resistance and Apparent Heterogeneous Electron Transfer Rate. Sensors (2020).
7. Recent advances in nitrogen-doped graphene oxide nanomaterials: Synthesis and applications in energy storage, sensor electrochemical applications and water treatment. Journal of Materials Research (2023).