High performance supercapacitor based on camphor sulfonic acid doped polyaniline/multiwall carbon nanotubes nanocomposite

Abstract

This study is aimed to investigate the effect of using different substrates and ratios of camphor sulphonic acid (CSA) doped polyaniline (PANI) to multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on structural, morphology, crystallinity, specific capacitance and energy density of the fabricated supercapacitor electrodes. The nanocomposites of PANI/MWCNTs with different MWCNTs contents were prepared via in situ chemical oxidation polymerization. The structural properties of the prepared nanocomposites were investigated by Fourier transform (FT-IR), Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The morphologies of the nanocomposites were confirmed by high resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD) were measured for the nanocomposites with different ratios deposited on graphite sheet and Ni foam substrates in 1 M H2SO4 and 2 M KOH, respectively. It was found that supercapacitor electrodes based on PANI/MWCNTs (2) wt% nanocomposite deposited onto graphite sheet and Ni foam produced the highest specific capacitances of 1183, and 2053 F/g and energy densities of 183.18 and 102.6 Wh/kg for, respectively. The capacitive retention of PANI/MWCNTs (2) wt% supercapacitor electrode deposited on the graphite sheet was decreased with 13% while an exceptional cycling stability with 100% onto Ni foam substrate after 1000 cycle was observed.