Exploring the electrochemical utilization of PANI/CNT-integrated Ni-Mn phosphates for advanced supercapacitor applications

Abstract

The increasing need for high-performance energy storage systems necessitates the exploration of novel electrode materials. In this study, the utilization of polyaniline/multiwalled carbon nanotubes (PANI/MWCNTs) was demonstrated as a conductive scaffold for the formation of heterostructures comprising nickel manganese phosphate (NiMn(PO4)2) using probe sonication, leading to the development of an efficient hybrid supercapacitor. The PANI/MWCNTs composite exhibits favorable conductive properties, acting as a suitable framework for the nucleation/growth and integrating NiMn(PO4)2 structures. The synergistic combination of PANI/MWCNTs and NiMn(PO4)2 resulted in the development of a highly efficient hybrid anode, exhibiting a remarkable specific capacitance of 917.3 F g‐1 (912.2 C g−1) at 1 A g‐1 in a 1 M KOH electrolyte. The optimized composite, PCNT-NMP-40, as a positive electrode in a two-electrode cell configuration with activated carbon (AC) as the negative electrode, operates within an extended output potential range of 0–1.6 V in a 2 M KOH electrolyte, delivering an outstanding energy density of 58 Wh kg−1 and a power density of 918 W kg−1, reflecting the substantial potential use of PCNT-NMP-40 as an excellent candidate for advanced energy storage applications.