Fluorescent modified graphene oxide/polyaniline nanowhiskers composites as smart electrode material for supercapacitors

Abstract

Abstract Fluorescent modified Graphene oxide/Polyaniline (Xn-GO/PANI, or Xn-GP) composites with ordered PANI nanowhiskers were successfully fabricated through a facile in situ chemical oxidation polymerization doping the fluorescent agents, Fluorescein (F), Rhodamine B (R) and Coumarin (C), respectively. The ordered PANI nanowhiskers (∼25 nm) were uniformly grown onto the surface and edge of GO sheets. TEM and SEM images demonstrated a quasi-two-dimensional (2D) architecture of Xn-GP nanocomposites. FT–IR, UV–vis, and Fluorescence emission analysis further verified the Xn-GP composites. As electrode materials for supercapacitors, the electrochemical results confirmed that the Fn-GP, Rn-GP and Cn-GP nanocomposites possessed the high electrochemical specific capacitance (555.6 F/g, 473.5 F/g and 459.5 F/g, respectively) at 0.5 A/g, the low charge transfer resistance, and excellent electrochemical stability by CV, GCD, EIS and cycle stability. The superior electrochemical performance of the Xn-GP ternary composites are principally ascribed to the fine synergistic effects of Xn, GO and PANI, which offered a quasi-2D conductive matrix for effective electron transfer, suitable channels for ion diffusion, good π–π interactions, and valid buffer for volume expansion of the PANI nanowhiskers during charge/discharge process. Especially, the novel Xn-GP composites with fluorescence property have the promising applications as smart electrode materials for supercapacitors.