The mass production of interconnected graphene with short pores for fast ion transport has attracted considerable attention, which can be used as the most promising electrode materials for high-energy-density supercapacitors. However, the low-cost preparation of the mentioned graphene remains a big challenge. In this paper, a template strategy coupled with in-situ chemical activation technique was designed to synthesize graphene from diverse polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons including coal tar pitch and petroleum pitch. The as-made structures feature with interconnected capsules or sheets constructed by graphene with short pores for fast ion transport and large networks for high electron conduction. When evaluated as electrodes for supercapacitors, these graphene materials exhibit high capacitance, good rate performance and excellent cycle stability. A symmetric supercapacitor fabricated from these graphene materials shows very high energy density. This work opens up an efficient way for low-cost and mass production of graphene materials from diverse polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon sources for high performance supercapacitors.

The mass production of interconnected graphene with short pores for fast ion transport has attracted considerable attention, which can be used as the most promising electrode materials for high-energy-density supercapacitors. However, the low-cost preparation of the mentioned graphene remains a big challenge. In this paper, a template strategy coupled with in-situ chemical activation technique was designed to synthesize graphene from diverse polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons including coal tar pitch and petroleum pitch. The as-made structures feature with interconnected capsules or sheets constructed by graphene with short pores for fast ion transport and large networks for high electron conduction. When evaluated as electrodes for supercapacitors, these graphene materials exhibit high capacitance, good rate performance and excellent cycle stability. A symmetric supercapacitor fabricated from these graphene materials shows very high energy density. This work opens up an efficient way for low-cost and mass production of graphene materials from diverse polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon sources for high performance supercapacitors.