Izabela Kondratowicz, Nanotechnology, Faculty of Applied Physics and Mathematics , Gdansk University of Technology, Narutowicza 11/12, 80-233, Gdańsk, Poland
Kamila Żelechowska, Department of Physics of Electronic Phenomena, Faculty of Applied Physics and Mathematics, Gdansk University of Technology, Narutowicza 11/12, 80-233, Gdańsk, Poland 

The growing demand for efficient and safe methods to store and convert energy has inspired scientists to look for the new active materials for electrodes. Graphene obtained during the hydrothermal reduction of graphene oxide has a three dimensional, highly porous aerogel structure and thus has shown a great potential as an electrode material. In our work, we focused on the synthesis of graphene aerogels under different conditions. First graphene oxide (GO) was prepared using a well-known Hummers method and its modifications. The water dispersion was then sonicated and in the next step ascorbic acid was added to reduce graphene oxide to the reduced graphene oxide (rGO) in a form of the hydrogel. After the drying process graphene aerogel (GA) was obtained. We characterized these structures using infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and cyclic voltammetry. As-obtained aerogels can be used as materials for lithium-ion batteries, supercapacitors, solar cells, fuel and biofuel cells. 

Izabela Kondratowicz is a graduate of the Gdansk University of Technology where she is going to start her PhD studies. She received her B.Eng. degree in Technical Physics (2012) and a M.Sc. in Nanotechnology (2014) from Gdansk University of Technology in Poland. She was an exchange student at the Technical University of Denmark. She is primarily interested in the applications of nanotechnology in biomedical sciences, the properties of carbon nanomaterials and nanofabrication techniques. Her current work focuses on graphene and its application in biofuel cells.