Research trends in electrospun conducting polymers derived CNFs and their composite as the potential electrodes for high-performance flexible supercapacitors

Abstract

Electrochemical energy storage (EES) devices are much needed due to their improved reliability and sustainability. As a class of EES, supercapacitors (SCs) have exhibited relatively more advantages, including high power density, longer cycle life, rapid charge-discharge speed, and high energy efficiency. Carbon materials are the electrodes of most significant concern in high-performance SCs. Among the carbon materials, the electrospun-derived carbon nanofibers (CNFs) and their composites are of high interest due to their scalable preparative process, high specific surface area (SSA), and porosity, and apt to construct essentially conducting self-standing electrodes for EES devices leading to improved electrochemical performance and energy storage capacitance. Conducting polymers (CPs)-based materials can be used as SCs' electrodes due to their versatility, supreme conductivity, redox property, inherent elasticity, low cost, and facile production. This review aims to provide a precise overview of the recent trends in CPs, especially concentrating on polyaniline (PANI), polythiophene (PTh), polypyrrole (PPy), and poly (3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene) (PEDOT) based electrospun CNFs and their composite as the potential electrodes for high-performance flexible SCs. The review systematically addresses synthesis techniques, design concepts, recent progress, challenges, and future perspectives on developing binder-free, self-standing CPs-derived CNFs/composites-based electrodes for constructing future flexible SCs.