Staff directory
Elena Del Corro García
Senior Researcher
RYC 2019
elena.delcorro(ELIMINAR)@icn2.cat
Advanced Electronic Materials and Devices
- ORCID: 0000-0001-6452-9139
Publications
2024
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Ethanol Solvation of Polymer Residues in Graphene Solution-Gated Field Effect Transistors
Merino, Juan Pedro; Brosel-Oliu, Sergi; Rius, Gemma; Illa, Xavi; Sulleiro, Manuel Vazquez; Del Corro, Elena; Masvidal-Codina, Eduard; Bonaccini Calia, Andrea; Garrido, Jose Antonio; Villa, Rosa; Guimera-Brunet, Anton; Prato, Maurizio; Criado, Alejandro; Prats-Alfonso, Elisabet Acs Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering; 2024. 10.1021/acssuschemeng.4c01538.
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Nanoporous graphene-based thin-film microelectrodes for in vivo high-resolution neural recording and stimulation
Viana, Damia; Walston, Steven T; Masvidal-Codina, Eduard; Illa, Xavi; Rodriguez-Meana, Bruno; del Valle, Jaume; Hayward, Andrew; Dodd, Abbie; Loret, Thomas; Prats-Alfonso, Elisabet; de la Oliva, Natalia; Palma, Marie; del Corro, Elena; Bernicola, Maria del Pilar; Rodriguez-Lucas, Elisa; Gener, Thomas; de la Cruz, Jose Manuel; Torres-Miranda, Miguel; Duvan, Fikret Taygun; Ria, Nicola; Sperling, Justin; Marti-Sanchez, Sara; Spadaro, Maria Chiara; Hebert, Clement; Savage, Sinead; Arbiol, Jordi; Guimera-Brunet, Anton; Puig, M Victoria; Yvert, Blaise; Navarro, Xavier; Kostarelos, Kostas; Garrido, Jose A Nature Nanotechnology; 2024. 10.1038/s41565-023-01570-5.
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On the Electrochemical Activation of Nanoporous Reduced Graphene Oxide Electrodes Studied by In Situ/Operando Electrochemical Techniques
Bernicola, Maria del Pilar; Lounasvuori, Mailis; Padilla-Pantoja, Jessica; Santiso, Jose; Debiemme-Chouvy, Catherine; Perrot, Hubert; Petit, Tristan; Garrido, Jose A; del Corro, Elena Advanced Functional Materials; 2024. 10.1002/adfm.202408441.
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Single-Step Functionalization Strategy of Graphene Microtransistor Array with Chemically Modified Aptamers for Biosensing Applications
Brosel-Oliu, Sergi; Rius, Gemma; Avino, Anna; Nakatsuka, Nako; Illa, Xavi; del Corro, Elena; Delga-Fernandez, Marta; Masvidal-Codina, Eduard; Rodriguez, Natalia; Merino, Juan Pedro; Criado, Alejandro; Prato, Maurizio; Tkatchenko, Raphaela; Eritja, Ramon; Godignon, Philippe; Garrido, Jose Antonio; Villa, Rosa; Guimera, Anton; Prats-Alfonso, Elisabet Small; : e2308857. 2024. 10.1002/smll.202308857.
2022
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Full-bandwidth electrophysiology of seizures and epileptiform activity enabled by flexible graphene microtransistor depth neural probes
Bonaccini Calia A., Masvidal-Codina E., Smith T.M., Schäfer N., Rathore D., Rodríguez-Lucas E., Illa X., De la Cruz J.M., Del Corro E., Prats-Alfonso E., Viana D., Bousquet J., Hébert C., Martínez-Aguilar J., Sperling J.R., Drummond M., Halder A., Dodd A., Barr K., Savage S., Fornell J., Sort J., Guger C., Villa R., Kostarelos K., Wykes R.C., Guimerà-Brunet A., Garrido J.A. Nature Nanotechnology; 17 (3): 301 - 309. 2022. 10.1038/s41565-021-01041-9. IF: 39.213
Mapping the entire frequency bandwidth of brain electrophysiological signals is of paramount importance for understanding physiological and pathological states. The ability to record simultaneously DC-shifts, infraslow oscillations (<0.1 Hz), typical local field potentials (0.1–80 Hz) and higher frequencies (80–600 Hz) using the same recording site would particularly benefit preclinical epilepsy research and could provide clinical biomarkers for improved seizure onset zone delineation. However, commonly used metal microelectrode technology suffers from instabilities that hamper the high fidelity of DC-coupled recordings, which are needed to access signals of very low frequency. In this study we used flexible graphene depth neural probes (gDNPs), consisting of a linear array of graphene microtransistors, to concurrently record DC-shifts and high-frequency neuronal activity in awake rodents. We show here that gDNPs can reliably record and map with high spatial resolution seizures, pre-ictal DC-shifts and seizure-associated spreading depolarizations together with higher frequencies through the cortical laminae to the hippocampus in a mouse model of chemically induced seizures. Moreover, we demonstrate the functionality of chronically implanted devices over 10 weeks by recording with high fidelity spontaneous spike-wave discharges and associated infraslow oscillations in a rat model of absence epilepsy. Altogether, our work highlights the suitability of this technology for in vivo electrophysiology research, and in particular epilepsy research, by allowing stable and chronic DC-coupled recordings. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.
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Heat dissipation in few-layer MoS2and MoS2/hBN heterostructure
Arrighi A., Del Corro E., Urrios D.N., Costache M.V., Sierra J.F., Watanabe K., Taniguchi T., Garrido J.A., Valenzuela S.O., Sotomayor Torres C.M., Sledzinska M. 2D Materials; 9 (1, 015005) 2022. 10.1088/2053-1583/ac2e51. IF: 7.103
State-of-the-art fabrication and characterisation techniques have been employed to measure the thermal conductivity of suspended, single-crystalline MoS2 and MoS2/hBN heterostructures. Two-laser Raman scattering thermometry was used combined with real time measurements of the absorbed laser power. Measurements on MoS2 layers with thicknesses of 5 and 14 nm exhibit thermal conductivity in the range between 12 Wm-1 K-1 and 24 Wm-1 K-1. Additionally, after determining the thermal conductivity of the latter MoS2 sample, an hBN flake was transferred onto it and the effective thermal conductivity of the heterostructure was subsequently measured. Remarkably, despite that the thickness of the hBN layer was less than a hal of the thickness of the MoS2 layer, the heterostructure showed an almost eight-fold increase in the thermal conductivity, being able to dissipate more than ten times the laser power without any visible sign of damage. These results are consistent with a high thermal interface conductance G between MoS2 and hBN and an efficient in-plane heat spreading driven by hBN. Indeed, we estimate G ∼ 70 MW m-2 K-1 for hBN layer thermal conductivity of 450 Wm-1 K-1 which is significantly higher than previously reported values. Our work therefore demonstrates that the insertion of hBN layers in potential MoS2-based devices holds the promise for efficient thermal management. © 2021 IOP Publishing Ltd.
2021
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Carbon Incorporation in MOCVD of MoS2Thin Films Grown from an Organosulfide Precursor
Schaefer C.M., Caicedo Roque J.M., Sauthier G., Bousquet J., Hébert C., Sperling J.R., Pérez-Tomás A., Santiso J., Del Corro E., Garrido J.A. Chemistry of Materials; 33 (12): 4474 - 4487. 2021. 10.1021/acs.chemmater.1c00646. IF: 9.811
With the rise of two-dimensional (2D) transition-metal dichalcogenide (TMD) semiconductors and their prospective use in commercial (opto)electronic applications, it has become key to develop scalable and reliable TMD synthesis methods with well-monitored and controlled levels of impurities. While metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) has emerged as the method of choice for large-scale TMD fabrication, carbon (C) incorporation arising during MOCVD growth of TMDs has been a persistent concern-especially in instances where organic chalcogen precursors are desired as a less hazardous alternative to more toxic chalcogen hydrides. However, the underlying mechanisms of such unintentional C incorporation and the effects on film growth and properties are still elusive. Here, we report on the role of C-containing side products of organosulfur precursor pyrolysis in MoS2 thin films grown from molybdenum hexacarbonyl Mo(CO)6 and diethyl sulfide (CH3CH2)2S (DES). By combining in situ gas-phase monitoring with ex situ microscopy and spectroscopy analyses, we systematically investigate the effect of temperature and Mo(CO)6/DES/H2 gas mixture ratios on film morphology, chemical composition, and stoichiometry. Aiming at high-quality TMD growth that typically requires elevated growth temperatures and high DES/Mo(CO)6 precursor ratios, we observed that temperatures above DES pyrolysis onset (â 600 °C) and excessive DES flow result in the formation of nanographitic carbon, competing with MoS2 growth. We found that by introducing H2 gas to the process, DES pyrolysis is significantly hindered, which reduces carbon incorporation. The C content in the MoS2 films is shown to quench the MoS2 photoluminescence and influence the trion-To-exciton ratio via charge transfer. This finding is fundamental for understanding process-induced C impurity doping in MOCVD-grown 2D semiconductors and might have important implications for the functionality and performance of (opto)electronic devices. ©
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Characterization of optogenetically-induced cortical spreading depression in awake mice using graphene micro-transistor arrays
Masvidal-Codina E., Smith T.M., Rathore D., Gao Y., Illa X., Prats-Alfonso E., Corro E.D., Calia A.B., Rius G., Martin-Fernandez I., Guger C., Reitner P., Villa R., Garrido J.A., Guimera-Brunet A., Wykes R.C. Journal of Neural Engineering; 18 (5, 055002) 2021. 10.1088/1741-2552/abecf3. IF: 5.379
Objective. The development of experimental methodology utilizing graphene micro-transistor arrays to facilitate and advance translational research into cortical spreading depression (CSD) in the awake brain. Approach. CSDs were reliably induced in awake nontransgenic mice using optogenetic methods. High-fidelity DC-coupled electrophysiological mapping of propagating CSDs was obtained using flexible arrays of graphene soultion-gated field-effect transistors (gSGFETs). Main results. Viral vectors targetted channelrhopsin expression in neurons of the motor cortex resulting in a transduction volume 1 mm3. 5-10 s of continous blue light stimulation induced CSD that propagated across the cortex at a velocity of 3.0 0.1 mm min-1. Graphene micro-transistor arrays enabled high-density mapping of infraslow activity correlated with neuronal activity suppression across multiple frequency bands during both CSD initiation and propagation. Localized differences in the CSD waveform could be detected and categorized into distinct clusters demonstrating the spatial resolution advantages of DC-coupled recordings. We exploited the reliable and repeatable induction of CSDs using this preparation to perform proof-of-principle pharmacological interrogation studies using NMDA antagonists. MK801 (3 mg kg-1) suppressed CSD induction and propagation, an effect mirrored, albeit transiently, by ketamine (15 mg kg-1), thus demonstrating this models' applicability as a preclinical drug screening platform. Finally, we report that CSDs could be detected through the skull using graphene micro-transistors, highlighting additional advantages and future applications of this technology. Significance. CSD is thought to contribute to the pathophysiology of several neurological diseases. CSD research will benefit from technological advances that permit high density electrophysiological mapping of the CSD waveform and propagation across the cortex. We report an in vivo assay that permits minimally invasive optogenetic induction, combined with multichannel DC-coupled recordings enabled by gSGFETs in the awake brain. Adoption of this technological approach could facilitate and transform preclinical investigations of CSD in disease relevant models. © 2021 The Author(s). Published by IOP Publishing Ltd.
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Novel Graphene Electrode for Retinal Implants: An in vivo Biocompatibility Study
Nguyen D., Valet M., Dégardin J., Boucherit L., Illa X., de la Cruz J., del Corro E., Bousquet J., Garrido J.A., Hébert C., Picaud S. Frontiers in Neuroscience; 15 (615256) 2021. 10.3389/fnins.2021.615256. IF: 4.677
Evaluating biocompatibility is a core essential step to introducing a new material as a candidate for brain-machine interfaces. Foreign body reactions often result in glial scars that can impede the performance of the interface. Having a high conductivity and large electrochemical window, graphene is a candidate material for electrical stimulation with retinal prosthesis. In this study, non-functional devices consisting of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) graphene embedded onto polyimide/SU-8 substrates were fabricated for a biocompatibility study. The devices were implanted beneath the retina of blind P23H rats. Implants were monitored by optical coherence tomography (OCT) and eye fundus which indicated a high stability in vivo up to 3 months before histology studies were done. Microglial reconstruction through confocal imaging illustrates that the presence of graphene on polyimide reduced the number of microglial cells in the retina compared to polyimide alone, thereby indicating a high biocompatibility. This study highlights an interesting approach to assess material biocompatibility in a tissue model of central nervous system, the retina, which is easily accessed optically and surgically. © Copyright © 2021 Nguyen, Valet, Dégardin, Boucherit, Illa, de la Cruz, del Corro, Bousquet, Garrido, Hébert and Picaud.
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Single and Multisite Graphene-Based Electroretinography Recording Electrodes: A Benchmarking Study
de la Cruz J; Nguyen D; Illa X; Bousquet J; Pérez-Marín AP; del Corro E; Picaud S; Garrido JA; Hebert C Advanced Materials Technologies; 7 (6) 2021. 10.1002/admt.202101181. IF: 7.848
2020
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Improved metal-graphene contacts for low-noise, high-density microtransistor arrays for neural sensing
Schaefer N., Garcia-Cortadella R., Calia A.B., Mavredakis N., Illa X., Masvidal-Codina E., Cruz J.D.L., Corro E.D., Rodríguez L., Prats-Alfonso E., Bousquet J., Martínez-Aguilar J., Pérez-Marín A.P., Hébert C., Villa R., Jiménez D., Guimerà-Brunet A., Garrido J.A. Carbon; 161: 647 - 655. 2020. 10.1016/j.carbon.2020.01.066. IF: 8.821
Poor metal contact interfaces are one of the main limitations preventing unhampered access to the full potential of two-dimensional materials in electronics. Here we present graphene solution-gated field-effect-transistors (gSGFETs) with strongly improved linearity, homogeneity and sensitivity for small sensor sizes, resulting from ultraviolet ozone (UVO) contact treatment. The contribution of channel and contact region to the total device conductivity and flicker noise is explored experimentally and explained with a theoretical model. Finally, in-vitro recordings of flexible microelectrocorticography (μ-ECoG) probes were performed to validate the superior sensitivity of the UVO-treated gSGFET to brain-like activity. These results connote an important step towards the fabrication of high-density gSGFET μ-ECoG arrays with state-of-the-art sensitivity and homogeneity, thus demonstrating the potential of this technology as a versatile platform for the new generation of neural interfaces. © 2020 Elsevier Ltd
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P-Type Ultrawide-Band-Gap Spinel ZnGa2O4: New Perspectives for Energy Electronics
Chikoidze E., Sartel C., Madaci I., Mohamed H., Vilar C., Ballesteros B., Belarre F., Del Corro E., Vales-Castro P., Sauthier G., Li L., Jennings M., Sallet V., Dumont Y., Pérez-Tomás A. Crystal Growth and Design; 20 (4): 2535 - 2546. 2020. 10.1021/acs.cgd.9b01669. IF: 4.089
The family of spinel compounds is a large and important class of multifunctional materials of general formulation AB2X4 with many advanced applications in energy and optoelectronic areas such as fuel cells, batteries, catalysis, photonics, spintronics, and thermoelectricity. In this work, it is demonstrated that the ternary ultrawide-band-gap (∼5 eV) spinel zinc gallate (ZnGa2O4) arguably is the native p-type ternary oxide semiconductor with the largest Eg value (in comparison with the recently discovered binary p-type monoclinic β-Ga2O3 oxide). For nominally undoped ZnGa2O4 the high-temperature Hall effect hole concentration was determined to be as large as p = 2 × 1015 cm-3, while hole mobilities were found to be μh = 7-10 cm2/(V s) (in the 680-850 K temperature range). An acceptor-like small Fermi level was further corroborated by X-ray spectroscopy and by density functional theory calculations. Our findings, as an important step toward p-type doping, opens up further perspectives for ultrawide-band-gap bipolar spinel electronics and further promotes ultrawide-band-gap ternary oxides such as ZnGa2O4 to the forefront of the quest of the next generation of semiconductor materials for more efficient energy optoelectronics and power electronics. Copyright © 2020 American Chemical Society.
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Self-Pixelation Through Fracture in VO2 Thin Films
Laura Rodríguez, Elena del Corro, Michele Conroy, Kalani Moore, Felip Sandiumenge, Neus Domingo, José Santiso, Gustau Catalan Acs Applied Electronic Materials; 2 (5): 1433 - 1439. 2020. 10.1021/acsaelm.0c00199. IF: 0.000
2019
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Crossover from ballistic to diffusive thermal transport in suspended graphene membranes
El Sachat A., Köenemann F., Menges F., Del Corro E., Garrido J.A., Sotomayor Torres C.M., Alzina F., Gotsmann B. 2D Materials; 6 (2, 025034) 2019. 10.1088/2053-1583/ab097d. IF: 7.343
We report heat transport measurements on suspended single-layer graphene disks with radius of 150-1600 nm using a high-vacuum scanning thermal microscope. The results of this study revealed a radius-dependent thermal contact resistance between tip and graphene, with values between 1.15 and 1.52 × 108 KW-1. The observed scaling of thermal resistance with radius is interpreted in terms of ballistic phonon transport in suspended graphene discs with radius smaller than 775 nm. In larger suspended graphene discs (radius >775 nm), the thermal resistance increases with radius, which is attributed to in-plane heat transport being limited by phonon-phonon resistive scattering processes, which resulted in a transition from ballistic to diffusive thermal transport. In addition, by simultaneously mapping topography and steady-state heat flux signals between a self-heated scanning probe sensor and graphene with 17 nm thermal spatial resolution, we demonstrated that the surface quality of the suspended graphene and its connectivity with the Si/SiO2 substrate play a determining role in thermal transport. Our approach allows the investigation of heat transport in suspended graphene at sub-micrometre length scales and overcomes major limitations of conventional experimental methods usually caused by extrinsic thermal contact resistances, assumptions on the value of the graphene's optical absorbance and limited thermal spatial resolution. © 2019 IOP Publishing Ltd.
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High-resolution mapping of infraslow cortical brain activity enabled by graphene microtransistors
Masvidal-Codina E., Illa X., Dasilva M., Calia A.B., Dragojević T., Vidal-Rosas E.E., Prats-Alfonso E., Martínez-Aguilar J., De la Cruz J.M., Garcia-Cortadella R., Godignon P., Rius G., Camassa A., Del Corro E., Bousquet J., Hébert C., Durduran T., Villa R., Sanchez-Vives M.V., Garrido J.A., Guimerà-Brunet A. Nature Materials; 18 (3): 280 - 288. 2019. 10.1038/s41563-018-0249-4. IF: 38.887
Recording infraslow brain signals (<0.1 Hz) with microelectrodes is severely hampered by current microelectrode materials, primarily due to limitations resulting from voltage drift and high electrode impedance. Hence, most recording systems include high-pass filters that solve saturation issues but come hand in hand with loss of physiological and pathological information. In this work, we use flexible epicortical and intracortical arrays of graphene solution-gated field-effect transistors (gSGFETs) to map cortical spreading depression in rats and demonstrate that gSGFETs are able to record, with high fidelity, infraslow signals together with signals in the typical local field potential bandwidth. The wide recording bandwidth results from the direct field-effect coupling of the active transistor, in contrast to standard passive electrodes, as well as from the electrochemical inertness of graphene. Taking advantage of such functionality, we envision broad applications of gSGFET technology for monitoring infraslow brain activity both in research and in the clinic. © 2018, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.
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On the Suitability of Raman Spectroscopy to Monitor the Degree of Graphene Functionalization by Diazonium Salts
Sampathkumar K., Diez-Cabanes V., Kovaricek P., Del Corro E., Bouša M., Hošek J., Kalbac M., Frank O. Journal of Physical Chemistry C; 123 (36): 22397 - 22402. 2019. 10.1021/acs.jpcc.9b06516. IF: 4.309
Raman spectroscopy is undoubtedly the most frequently used technique for universal characterization of graphene and related materials. Quantification of parameters like disorder or strain is possible through analysis of particular Raman bands. However, under certain conditions, such evaluation can be jeopardized by - sometimes hidden - convolution of more overlapping effects. In this work, graphene functionalization by the common nitrobenzenediazonium salt under simultaneous biaxial tensile deformation induced by substrate swelling was investigated by Raman spectroscopy. As expected, the disorder-related D band appeared in the spectra documenting the covalent attack on the graphene lattice. However, the strain-induced shift of the graphene bands exposed additional peaks, masked at exactly the same positions as the unstrained graphene bands. The new bands were assigned to vibrations of the diazonium molecule and its decomposition products adsorbed on top of the functionalized graphene. The external strain thus provided means for more correct quantification of the lattice disorder. © 2019 American Chemical Society.
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Zinc blende and wurtzite CoO polymorph nanoparticles: Rational synthesis and commensurate and incommensurate magnetic order
Golosovsky I.V., Estrader M., López-Ortega A., Roca A.G., López-Conesa L., Del Corro E., Estradé S., Peiró F., Puente-Orench I., Nogués J. Applied Materials Today; 16: 322 - 331. 2019. 10.1016/j.apmt.2019.06.005. IF: 8.013
On the nanoscale, CoO can have different polymorph crystal structures, zinc blende and wurtzite, apart from rock salt, which is the stable one in bulk. However, the magnetic structures of the zinc blende and wurtzite phases remain virtually unexplored. Here we discuss some of the main parameters controlling the growth of the CoO wurtzite and zinc blende polymorphs by thermal decomposition of cobalt (II) acetylacetonate. In addition, we present a detailed neutron diffraction study of oxygen deficient CoO (CoO0.70–0.75) nanoparticles with zinc blende (∼15 nm) and wurtzite (∼30 nm) crystal structures to unravel their magnetic order and its temperature evolution. The magnetic order of the zinc blende nanoparticles is antiferromagnetic and appears at the Néel temperature TN ∼ 203 K. It corresponds to the 3rd type of magnetic ordering in a face-centered cubic lattice with magnetic moments aligned along a cube edge. The magnetic structure in the wurtzite nanoparticles turned out to be rather complex with two perpendicular components. One component is incommensurate, of the longitudinal spin wave type, with the magnetic moments confined in the ab-plane. In the perpendicular direction, this magnetic order is uncorrelated, forming quasi-two-dimensional magnetic layers. The component of the magnetic moment, aligned along the hexagonal axis, is commensurate and corresponds to the antiferromagnetic order known as the 2nd type in a wurtzite structure. The Néel temperature of wurtzite phase is estimated to be ∼109 K. The temperature dependence of the magnetic reflections confirms the reduced dimensionality of the incommensurate magnetic order. Incommensurate magnetic structures in nanoparticles are an unusual phenomenon and in the case of wurtzite CoO it is probably caused by structural defects (e.g., vacancies, strains and stacking faults). © 2019 Elsevier Ltd
2018
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Flexible Graphene Solution-Gated Field-Effect Transistors: Efficient Transducers for Micro-Electrocorticography
Hébert C., Masvidal-Codina E., Suarez-Perez A., Calia A.B., Piret G., Garcia-Cortadella R., Illa X., Del Corro Garcia E., De la Cruz Sanchez J.M., Casals D.V., Prats-Alfonso E., Bousquet J., Godignon P., Yvert B., Villa R., Sanchez-Vives M.V., Guimerà-Brunet A., Garrido J.A. Advanced Functional Materials; 28 (12, 1703976) 2018. 10.1002/adfm.201703976. IF: 13.325
Brain–computer interfaces and neural prostheses based on the detection of electrocorticography (ECoG) signals are rapidly growing fields of research. Several technologies are currently competing to be the first to reach the market; however, none of them fulfill yet all the requirements of the ideal interface with neurons. Thanks to its biocompatibility, low dimensionality, mechanical flexibility, and electronic properties, graphene is one of the most promising material candidates for neural interfacing. After discussing the operation of graphene solution-gated field-effect transistors (SGFET) and characterizing their performance in saline solution, it is reported here that this technology is suitable for μ-ECoG recordings through studies of spontaneous slow-wave activity, sensory-evoked responses on the visual and auditory cortices, and synchronous activity in a rat model of epilepsy. An in-depth comparison of the signal-to-noise ratio of graphene SGFETs with that of platinum black electrodes confirms that graphene SGFET technology is approaching the performance of state-of-the art neural technologies. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim
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Uniformly coated highly porous graphene/MnO2 foams for flexible asymmetric supercapacitors
Drieschner S., Seckendorff M.V., Corro E.D., Wohlketzetter J., Blaschke B.M., Stutzmann M., Garrido J.A. Nanotechnology; 29 (22, 225402) 2018. 10.1088/1361-6528/aab4c2. IF: 3.404
Supercapacitors are called to play a prominent role in the newly emerging markets of electric vehicles, flexible displays and sensors, and wearable electronics. In order to compete with current battery technology, supercapacitors have to be designed with highly conductive current collectors exhibiting high surface area per unit volume and uniformly coated with pseudocapacitive materials, which is crucial to boost the energy density while maintaining a high power density. Here, we present a versatile technique to prepare thickness-controlled thin-film micro graphene foams (μGFs) with pores in the lower micrometer range grown by chemical vapor deposition which can be used as highly conductive current collectors in flexible supercapacitors. To fabricate the μGF, we use porous metallic catalytic substrates consisting of nickel/copper alloy synthesized on nickel foil by electrodeposition in an electrolytic solution. Changing the duration of the electrodeposition allows the control of the thickness of the metal foam, and thus of the μGF, ranging from a few micrometers to the millimeter scale. The resulting μGF with a thickness and pores in the micrometer regime exhibits high structural quality which leads to a very low intrinsic resistance of the devices. Transferred onto flexible substrates, we demonstrate a uniform coating of the μGFs with manganese oxide, a pseudocapacitively active material. Considering the porous structure and the thickness of the μGFs, square wave potential pulses are used to ensure uniform coverage by the oxide material boosting the volumetric and areal capacitance to 14 F cm-3 and 0.16 F cm-2. The μGF with a thickness and pores in the micrometer regime in combination with a coating technique tuned to the porosity of the μGF is of great relevance for the development of supercapacitors based on state-of-the-art graphene foams. © 2018 IOP Publishing Ltd.