A multi-institutional research team led by Nagaland University has developed an innovative and cost-effective method for producing advanced electrode material called “supercapacitors”– next-generation energy storage devices that can charge rapidly and store large amounts of energy.
In a press statement issued by the university, it said that unlike traditional batteries, supercapacitors are capable of ultra-fast charging and discharging, making them a promising solution to the growing demand for efficient and sustainable energy systems. However, the high cost of electrode materials has long been a barrier to their widespread adoption.
The new research, which has already been granted an Indian patent, presents a novel and energy-efficient process for synthesizing aminated graphene—a derivative of reduced graphene oxide.
The patented method not only lowers production costs but also enhances performance, achieving a fivefold increase in gravimetric energy density compared to its non-aminated counterpart.
The material exhibits a wide electrochemical window of 2.2 V, energy density exceeding 50 Wh/kg, and retains 98% of its energy after 10,000 charge-discharge cycles—demonstrating both scientific significance and commercial viability.
Speaking on the breakthrough, Prof. Dipak Sinha explained, “Unlike traditional methods that are time-consuming and resource-intensive, this new approach operates under moderate temperature and pressure conditions, making it more energy-efficient, faster, and suitable for large-scale production.”
DST-INSPIRE Fellow Suraj Kumar elaborated that the method involves a one-pot synthesis—directly transforming bulk graphite into aminated graphene, bypassing the multiple steps of conventional processes. “This reduces both time and resource consumption, making it one of the quickest and most scalable methods available today,” he said.
The breakthrough aligns with India’s push toward clean energy and sustainable technology. With further development, the material holds strong potential for commercial application in fields such as electric vehicles, smart grids, and renewable energy storage.
The project is a collaboration between researchers from Nagaland University, Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU), Karnataka, and Nagarjuna College of Engineering and Technology, Karnataka.
It was led by Suraj Kumar, DST-INSPIRE Fellow at Nagaland University, under the joint supervision of Prof. Dipak Sinha, department of Chemistry, NU and Prof. Dinesh Rangappa of VTU. Other team members included Priyakshi Bora (NU), Kunal Roy (VTU), and Dr. Navya Rani M. (Nagarjuna College). The findings were recently published in the peer-reviewed journal iScience, an open-access platform from Cell Press.