Graphene templates enable creating metal-oxide structured for improved battery electrodes and catalysts

Researchers at Brown University have developed a method of producing ultrathin metal-oxide films with intricate crumple and wrinkle pattern using crumpled graphene sheets as templates. These textured metal-oxide films may be especially beneficial in increasing the efficiency of batteries and photocatalysts.

To introduce wrinkle and crumple structures in graphene, the team compressed the sheets multiple times in multiple orientations, in a process that won’t work for metal oxides as they are too stiff and crack if compressed too much. The team, however, developed a method of using the crumpled graphene sheets as templates for making crumpled metal-oxide films and transfered those surface features from the graphene onto the metal oxides.