Diamond-coated silicon nanowires for enhanced micro-supercapacitor with ionic liquids

Silicon nanowires (SiNWs) and diamond-coated SiNWs (D@SiNWs) on highly n-doped silicon wafer substrates were prepared through standard chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method as electrodes for micro-supercapacitors. The surface of electrodes exhibited uniform distribution of SiNWs on silicon wafer and continuous diamond coating on SiNWs. Electrochemical measurements were carried out in order to test the combined effect of using Ionic Liquid electrolytes and diamond coating on SiNWs on energy storage performance. Optimal values of areal capacitance, energy density and power densities were 317 μF cm
^-2
, 0.13 μWh cm
^-2
and 150 μW cm
^-2
, respectively. So, the work reported here confirms the suitability and compatibility of D@SiNWs electrode materials and ionic liquid electrolytes for the fabrication of high-performing and robust micro-supercapacitors.