Well-defined poly(1,5-diaminoanthraquinone)/reduced graphene oxide hybrids with superior electrochemical property for high performance electrochemical capacitors

Abstract

Conducting polymers and their hybrids have attracted significant attention in electrochemical capacitors due to their unique electrochemical properties. However, the poorer cycle life and lower rate capability have greatly restricted their practical applications. Herein, well-defined poly(1,5-diaminoanthraquinone)/reduced graphene oxide hybrids (PDAA/rGO) with excellent electrochemical performance were successfully prepared via in-situ chemical oxidation polymerization of 1,5-diaminoanthraquinone (DAA) using HClO4 as initiator and (NH4)2S2O8 as oxidant in organic solvent mixture at room 25 °C. The electrochemical tests showed that the optimized one, PDAA/rGO S-2 with PDAA nanoparticles of 50 nm uniformly immobilized, possessed the specific capacitance of 617F g−1 at the current density of 1 A g−1 in 1.0 mol L−1 H2SO4 electrolyte and outstanding rate capability with the capacitance retention of 70% even at a high current density of 20 A g−1. Moreover, superior cycle life was achieved to about 124% of its initial capacitance at 100 mV s−1 after 15,000 cycles without attenuation, and the symmetric solid-state supercapacitor (SSC) based on the PDAA/rGO S-2 electrodes remained 79% of its initial specific capacitance after 15,000 CV cycles.