Supramolecule-assisted synthesis of cyclodextrin polymer functionalized polyaniline/carbon nanotube with core-shell nanostructure as high-performance supercapacitor material

Abstract

An effective supramolecule-assisted polymerization of polyaniline (Pani) on multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can be achieved by designing a β-cyclodextrin polymer (CDP)-CNT system with well-dispersed stability in water and high aniline monomer guest-recognition capability. We demonstrated that CDP-CNTs can be decorated with a controllable layer of Pani due to host-guest interactions between aniline and CDP conjugate on the surface of the CNTs. The composites conferred a high degree of stability to the Pani growth on the CNT, which integrated both the excellent electrical conductivity of the CNTs and the good capacitance of the Pani. During the electrochemical measurements, this CDP-Pani/CNT composite showed a remarkable specific capacitance (720 F g−1 at 1 A g−1) and high rate capability in a three-electrode system, retaining 86% of its original capacitance after the current density was increased 20-fold to 20 A g−1. The CDP-Pani/CNT electrodes were used to assemble a symmetric supercapacitor device, showed a specific capacitance of 107.4 F g−1 at 1 A g−1, and retained over 97% of their initial capacitance after 5000 charge-discharge cycles at 5 A g−1. Thus, the strategy established in this work has great potential for establishing controlled growth of polymers and energy storage materials.