Innovative PANI/g-C3N4@rGO nanocomposite electrode for improved energy storage and conversion applications

Abstract

We successfully synthesized a ternary conducting polymer nanocomposite using an in-situ oxidative polymerization method, incorporating polyaniline, graphitic carbon nitride, and reduced graphene oxide. This nanocomposite serves as a bifunctional electrode for applications in energy storage and conversion. The as-prepared PANI nanocomposite exhibited excellent storage properties, with a specific capacitance of 442 F/g in 1 M H2SO4 as an electrolyte in the presence of graphitic-C3N4@reduced graphene oxide. This is a significant enhancement over the specific capacitance of pure PANI, which is typically∼200 F/g. Interestingly, the PANI/graphitic-C3N4@reduced graphene oxide electrode exhibited better cycling stability with 90% retention of the specific capacitance after 5000 cycles at a current density of 2.5 A/g. Furthermore, when employed as a counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC), it exhibits excellent electrocatalytic activity, which is attributed to its large specific surface area and superior electrocatalytic activity. The dye-sensitized TiO2 photoanodes were sandwiched between CEs using a PEO-based gel electrolyte, and photovoltaic studies were performed under simulated illumination of 100 mW/cm2. The dye sensitized solar cell exhibited the short circuit current density (Jsc) 13.5 mA/cm2 and open circuit voltage (Voc) 0.76 V with power conversion efficiency of 6 %.