Polyaniline-intercalated molybdenum disulfide composites for supercapacitors with high rate capability

Abstract

Polyaniline-intercalated MoS2 composites with different morphologies (aggregated particles, nanowires, and nanotubes) were successfully prepared by a three-step method. The intercalation structure enhances electron transfer, and the expanded interlayer of MoS2 is beneficial for ion diffusion kinetics. Among the three composites, the tubular composite shows the best capacitive property in terms of a high specific capacitance of 375 F g−1 at a current density of 50 A g−1 and good stability for charge-discharge cycling. This indicates that the hollow structure, compared with the other nanostructures, facilitates the exposure of the active sites of the material and the penetration of electrolyte. Moreover, this work helps to understand the intrinsic issue of the electrochemical behavior of the polyaniline-intercalated MoS2 composite system, especially the influence of the morphology on the electrochemical properties.