Poly(1,5-diaminonaphthalene) films for supercapacitor electrode materials: effect of electropolymerization technique on specific capacitance

Abstract

Poly(1,5-diaminonaphthalane) (1,5-PDAN) films have been successfully synthesized on pencil graphite electrode (PGE) from aqueous solution of 0.1 M monomer and 1.0 M perchloric acid (HClO4) by different electrochemical techniques which are cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry (CA). The field emission scanning electron microscopy has been used to analyze the surface morphologies of 1,5-PDAN-coated PGE by CV (PGE/1,5-PDAN(CV)) and CA (PGE/1,5-PDAN(CA)). Electrochemical measurements have been performed to evaluate usability of the electrodes for supercapacitors using CV, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), galvanostatic charge–discharge and repeating chronopotentiometry (RCP) methods in 1.0 M HClO4. When compared the results of electrochemical measurements, it is concluded that PGE/1,5-PDAN(CA) has higher specific capacitance than PGE/1,5-PDAN(CV). Despite having high specific capacitance, long-term charge–discharge cycling stability of PGE/1,5-PDAN(CA) is lower than that of PGE/1,5-PDAN(CV). Additionally, electrodes exhibit high power and energy density, according to galvanostatic charge–discharge measurements. In conclusion, it can be said that PGE/1,5-PDAN(CV) and PGE/1,5-PDAN(CA) are promising materials for supercapacitor applications.