Electropolymerization of Aniline on Conductive Vulcanizates and Charge-Discharge Properties

Abstract

Abstract To obtain electrode materials with good charge-discharge properties, the electrochemical polymerization of aniline on conductive vulcanizates containing Ketjin black was investigated along with the charge-discharge properties of these materials. When EPDM vulcanizates containing Ketjin black greater than 20 phr were used as working electrodes, the polymerization of aniline occurred easily and conductive laminates of vulcanizate and polyaniline were obtained. This required an EPDM vulcanizate conductivity of more than 0.1 S/cm. The selection of elastomers and solvents for the electrochemical reaction is important. A combination of EPDM and water solvent was found to be suitable for the electrochemical polymerization of aniline. Polyaniline products on vulcanizate electrodes had lower film densities than polypyrrole products, and exhibited greater adhesion to the vulcanizates than to Pt electrodes. Li battery cells, using these polyaniline vulcanizate electrodes, possessed remarkably higher charge-discharge capacity and greater cycles life than the polyaniline Pt electrode. The vulcanizate electrode retained good charge-discharge properties even at a current density exceeding 1.0 mA/cm2.