Flexible and foldable supercapacitor electrodes from the porous 3D network of cellulose nanofibers, carbon nanotubes and polyaniline

Abstract

Flexible and foldable supercapacitor electrodes fabricated by an in situ chemical polymerization method coating PANI on the surface and inside network of the CNFs (cellulose nanofibers)/MWCNTs (multi-walled carbon nanotubes) films are reported. Due to the porous 3D network structure of the aerogel-like CNFs/MWCNTs films made by an ethanol replacement treatment method, the CNFs/MWCNTs/PANI (polyaniline) electrodes get more PANI nanofibers inside of the porous CNFs/MWCNTs films and obtain a low charge transfer resistance (6.31Ω) and a excellent specific capacitance (249.7F/g at 10mV/s). The low-cost, light-weight and flexible electrode materials may be potential applications for the high-performance flexible all-solid-state supercapacitors.