Abstract
At present, PANI/MWNT composites have been paid more attention as promising electrode materials in supercapacitors. Yet some shortcomings still limit the widely application of PANI/MWNT electrolytes. In this work, in order to improve capacitance ability and long-term stability of electrode, a multi-amino dendrimer (PAMAM) had been covalently linked onto multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNT) as a bridge to facilitating covalent graft of polyaniline (PANI), affording P-MWNT/PANI electrode composites for supercapacitor. Surprisingly, ordered arrays of PANI nanowires on MWNT (setaria-like morphology) had been observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Electrochemical properties of P-MWNT/PANI electrode had been characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge-discharge technique. The specific capacitance and long cycle life of P-MWNT-PANI electrode material were both much higher than MWNT/PANI. These interesting results indicate that multi-amino dendrimer, PAMAM, covalently linked on MWNT provides more reaction sites for in-situ polymerization of ordered PANI, which could efficiently shorten the ion diffusion length in electrolytes and lead to making fully use of conducting materials.
Highlights
Promising alternative method for fabricating 3D micro-structure of conducting polymers[12]
Multi amino dendrimer PAMAM was introduced onto Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) for assisting in situ polymerization of aniline grown on multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) orderly, affording P-multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNT)/PANI hybrid electrodes
Compared with PANI growing on pristine MWNT by Van der Waals attraction, the excellent specific capacitance as high as 568 F g−1 was observed and good cyclic stability was exhibited in this electrode
Summary
Promising alternative method for fabricating 3D micro-structure of conducting polymers[12]. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) had been recognized as one of an attractive one-dimensional electrode materials for energy storage devices, which is attributable to the excellent chemical and electrochemical stability, highly accessible surface area and excellent electrical conductivity[24,25]. Comparing with directly functionalized MWNT with –NH2, higher amine density on the CNTs originated from PAMAM might prevent the aggregation of carbon materials during in-situ polymerization of aniline[17,18] and result in a higher grafting density of PANI. Incorporation of covalently linked dendrimer PAMAM onto the CNTs is to increase the cycling stability and conductivity of the hybrid electrode and to increase the electrode/electrolyte contact surface area for fully using the inner layer of conducting polymer. These results demonstrate that the synergistic effects between PANI and functionalized MWNT significantly affect the electrochemical performance of supercapacitor electrodes
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