PPy Electrode Research Articles

Evaluation of the Polypyrrole Coupling Mode for High-Performance Dual-Ion Batteries.

Due to the advantages of large interstitial sites, antisolubility, and reversible insertion and extraction of anions, polypyrrole (PPy) has become an excellent P-type electrode material for dual-ion batteries. Unfortunately, PPy electrodes inevitably suffer from low specific capacity and poor cycle stability because of structural disintegration during repeated cycling as well as poor doping ability brought on by aggregation or cross-linking within the PPy chain. In this work, PPy with different proportions of coupling mode (α-α, α-β, or β-β coupling) was derived from different preparation methods. Among them, PPy derived from the interfacial frozen polymerization method (I-PPy) is dominated by the α-α coupling mode and possesses the best anion doping ability and the highest specific capacity of 119 mAh g-1 at 100 mA g-1 compared with PPy derived from electrochemical deposition (E-PPy) and chemical oxidation method (C-PPy) (both less than 40 mAh g-1). This work verifies that increasing the proportion of the α-α coupling mode in the PPy electrode is a useful strategy to enhance the anion doping ability and capacity of dual-ion batteries.

Enhancement of the Potential Window of Ppy Electrodes in the Presence of a Bis(Oxamato) Nickel(II) Complex for High‐Performance Supercapacitor

Enhancement of the Potential Window of Ppy Electrodes in the Presence of a Bis(Oxamato) Nickel(II) Complex for High‐Performance Supercapacitor

Tensile-endurable nanolayered polypyrrole templated by liquid crystal for high-performance stretchable supercapacitors

Ordered architectures favorable for energy storage are hard to build and preserve on stretchable electrodes owing to the elongation-induced variation in morphology. Herein, we demonstrate the construction of nanolayered polypyrrole (PPy) on stretchable polymeric electrodes via lyotropic liquid crystal (LLC) template for the first time. In situ graft polymerization of PPy onto swollen polyacrylamide-co-poly(2-hydroxy ethyl acrylate) in an aqueous Lα LLC gives stretchable electrodes with nanolayered PPy rooted in expandable wrinkles. The nanolayered PPy electrode could be stretched up to 330 % strain and keep intact after 2,000 stretch-release cycles owing to reversible unfolding of wrinkles. By virtue of the well-arranged PPy nanolayers, the stretchable electrode exhibits a high electrical conductivity of 154 S cm−1 and gives a capacitance of 1143 mF cm−2 after assembled into a supercapacitor with H2SO4 polyacrylamide hydrogel. In addition, the capacitance retention remains 94.6 % after 2,000 stretch-release cycles accompanied by galvanostatic charge–discharge. The LLC templating graft polymerization of conjugated polymers on elastic substrates paves a way to develop nanostructured stretchable electrodes for high-performance wearable supercapacitors.

Electroactive polylactic acid nanofiber multilayer membranes as “Green” flexible electrode for supercapacitor

Against the backdrop of the post-COVID-19 era, the demand for masks has become increasingly steady, discarded masks have brought about new environmental problems due to the lack of effective means of disposal as well as recycling mechanisms. To solve this problem, we make secondary use of discarded polylactic acid (PLA) masks. The nanofiber multilayer membranes PLA/PDA/GO/PPy were synthesized by layer-by-layer self-assembly for flexible supercapacitors (SCs). The multiple coating on PLA significantly increases the capacitive performance. Optimization of the PLA/PDA/GO/PPy demonstrates capacitance up to 1331 mF cm−2. Symmetric aqueous SCs using PLA/PDA/GO/PPy electrodes show higher energy density than other literature-reported SCs based on nanofiber multilayer membranes. In addition, we also explored the effects of discarded PLA/PDA/GO/PPy on the growth of ryegrass and canola in the soil. The exceptional combination of remarkable electrochemical properties and excellent environmental friendliness makes the PLA membrane promising for supercapacitors.

Implantable conductive polymer bioelectrode with enzymatic antioxidant activity for enhanced tissue responses and in vivo performance

Implantable bioelectrodes enable precise diagnosis and treatment through direct transmission of electrical signals in the living tissues. However, a fundamental challenge arises as implanted bioelectrodes frequently lose performance due to adverse tissue reactions, primarily induced by high oxidative stress and subsequent inflammatory activation of macrophages. In this study, we investigated a novel strategy to address this challenge in implantable bioelectrodes by introducing reactive oxygen species (ROS)-scavenging capabilities to the bioelectrodes. Specifically, a polypyrrole (PPy) electrode doped with hemin-conjugated heparin (HepH) was fabricated to impart robust enzyme-like antioxidant properties. The HepH-doped PPy electrodes exhibited a catalase-mimicking activity, as evidenced by hydrogen peroxide scavenging and oxygen gas generation in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. In vitro primary macrophage culture and in vivo subcutaneous implantation studies revealed that HepH-incorporated PPy electrodes reduced intracellular ROS levels and directed macrophage polarization toward an anti-inflammatory phenotype, mitigating collagenous scar tissue formation around the implanted electrodes. Finally, real-time electrocardiogram monitoring for 20 days demonstrated the extended in vivo signal sensitivity of the HepH-doped PPy electrodes as reliable implantable bioelectrodes.

Development of lignin hydrogel reinforced polypyrrole rich electrode material for supercapacitor and sensing applications

The preparation of natural polymer-based highly conductive hydrogels with reliable durability for applications in supercapacitors (SCs) is still challenging. Herein, a facile method to prepare alkaline lignin (AL)-based polypyrrole (PPy)-rich, high-conductive PPy@AL/PEGDGE gel was reported, where AL was used as a dopant, polyethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (PEGDGE) as a cross-linking agent, and PPy as a conducting polymer. The PPy@AL/PEGDGE gel electrode materials with hollow structures were prepared by electrochemical deposition and chemical etching method and then assembled into sandwich-shaped SCs. Cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanotactic charge discharge (GCD), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and cycling stability tests of the PPy@AL/PEGDGE SCs were performed. The results demonstrated that the SCs can achieve a conductivity of 25.9 S·m−1 and a specific capacitance of 175 F·g−1, which was 127.4 % higher compared to pure PPy (77 F·g−1) electrode. The highest energy density and power density for the SCs were obtained at 23.06 Wh·kg−1 and 5376 W·kg−1, respectively. In addition, the cycling performance was also higher than that of pure PPy assembled SCs (50 %), and the capacitance retention rate can reach 72.3 % after 1000 cycles. The electrode materials are expected to be used as sensor and SCs devices.

Charge Storage Properties of Ferrimagnetic BaFe12O19 and Polypyrrole-BaFe12O19 Composites.

This investigation is motivated by an interest in multiferroic BaFe12O19 (BFO), which combines advanced ferrimagnetic and ferroelectric properties at room temperature and exhibits interesting magnetoelectric phenomena. The ferroelectric charge storage properties of BFO are limited due to high coercivity, low dielectric constant, and high dielectric losses. We report the pseudocapacitive behavior of BFO, which allows superior charge storage compared to the ferroelectric charge storage mechanism. The BFO electrodes show a remarkably high capacitance of 1.34 F cm-2 in a neutral Na2SO4 electrolyte. The charging mechanism is discussed. The capacitive behavior is linked to the beneficial effect of high-energy ball milling (HEBM) and the use of an efficient dispersant, which facilitates charge transfer. Another approach is based on the use of conductive polypyrrole (PPy) for the fabrication of PPy-BFO composites. The choice of new polyaromatic dopants with a high charge-to-mass ratio plays a crucial role in achieving a high capacitance of 4.66 F cm-2 for pure PPy electrodes. The composite PPy-BFO (50/50) electrodes show a capacitance of 3.39 F cm-2, low impedance, reduced charge transfer resistance, enhanced capacitance retention at fast charging rates, and good cyclic stability due to the beneficial effect of advanced dopants, HEBM, and synergy of the contribution of PPy and BFO.

Nanostructured polypyrrole nanowires/nitrogen-functionalized graphene composites for supercapacitor electrode

The well-defined polypyrrole (PPy) nanowires are successfully grown on the nitrogen-functionalized graphene (NFG) nanosheets by electrochemical polymerization method (PPy/NFG). The synthesized PPy/NFG composites as supercapacitor electrodes present specific capacitance of 1058 and 910 F g−1 at 0.5 and 10 A g−1, far higher than pristine PPy (309 and 160 F g−1) and NFG (265 and 186 F g−1) electrodes, respectively. Particularly, symmetric supercapacitor device assembled with two PPy10/NFG electrodes delivered 601 F g−1 and 480 F g−1 specific capacitance at 0.5 A g−1 and 20 A g−1, good cycling stability (retaining over 85 % capacitance after 10,000 cycles), large energy density (83.5 Wh kg−1 at 0.5 A g−1). These results indicated the PPy/NFG composites have promising application in supercapacitors.

Fabrication of Nano- and Micro-Structured PPy Electrode and its Application to Electroporation to Cell

Electroporation using microstructured electrodes, which generate a localized high electric field, allows molecules (genes) to be introduced into cells; however, there are some technical issues with the fabrication process and material in terms of cytotoxicity and cost. In this study, polypyrrole (PPy), a biocompatible and conductive polymer, is nano- and micro-structured for an electrode of electroporation by electrochemical polymerization. Nano- and micro-scale dots of PPy are generated by a specific pulse waveform of applied voltage in a considerably low concentration of pyrrole (monomer) solution. The conductivity of PPy is changed from 4 to 16 S/cm by dopant concentration with a range of 0.025 M to 0.2 M. It is demonstrated that electroporation using the PPy and ITO electrodes introduce test agent of molecules (Propidium Iodide) into HeLa cells, where 10 and 50 V of pulse voltage is applied. The electroporation using nano-scale dots of PPy electrodes provides a 40% higher introduction rate than that of the micro-dots of PPy electrodes. The introduction rate in electroporation using the nano-scale dots of PPy can be maintained above 95% regardless of the application time of voltage, whereas that of the micro-scale dots of PPy electrodes increases with the application time. It is reasonable to assume that the nano- and micro-structured PPy electrodes are effective in electroporation, as the introduction rates on these PPy electrodes are higher than that of the ITO electrode. However, the cell viability in the electroporation using the nano-scale of PPy electrodes decreases by approximately 30% with application time. Both the introduction rate and cell viability slightly decrease with the conductivity of the PPy electrode; therefore, they are dominated by surface morphologies of the PPy electrode and applied voltage as compared to that of electrode conductivity. Nevertheless, it is demonstrated that the nano- and micro-structured PPy electrodes improve the efficiency of electroporation owing to the locally concentrated electric field.

Conductive N, S doped Copolymers as Stable Metal-Free Electrocatalysts for Water Splitting.

Noble metals (Pt) and metal oxides (IrC and RuO2) are heavily utilized as benchmark electrocatalysts for alkaline water splitting; however, these materials possess several drawbacks including high cost, poor selectivity and stability, and high environmental impact. To address these issues, we synthesized a novel metal-free conducting polypyrrole-polythiophene (Ppy-Ptp) copolymer and a separate Ppy electrode material for water-splitting applications. The Ppy-Ptp and Ppy electrocatalysts exhibited remarkable activity in the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), respectively. The optimal Ppy-Ptp (1:3) formulation, when deposited on a conductive nickel foam (NF) substrate, exhibited an exceptional OER performance with a low overpotential of approximately 250 mV at 20 mAcm-2, thereby outperforming the benchmark IrC/NF electrocatalyst (290 mV, 20 mAcm-2). Additionally, a similarly prepared Ppy/NF electrocatalyst exhibited an extraordinary HER performance with an overpotential of approximately 72 mV at 10 mA cm-2. Furthermore, an alkaline anion-exchange membrane (AEM) electrolyzer incorporating Ppy-Ptp (1:3) and Ppy as the anode and cathode materials, respectively, displayed operating potentials of 1.55, 1.70, and 1.78 V at 10, 50, and 100 mA cm-2, which are lower than those observed in previously reported electrolyzers. This electrolyzer also exhibited considerable operational endurance over 50 h at 50 mA cm-2, over which a negligible decay of 0.02 V was observed. The novel polymer-based metal-free catalysts presented herein therefore exhibit considerable potential as alternative electrocatalytic materials for sustainable industrial-scale H2 synthesis.

Polypyrrole decorated on irregular SnSe particles: A high energy density and stable durability for asymmetric supercapacitor applications

This work reported the tin selenide (SnSe), polypyrrole (PPy), and their nanocomposite with different contents, e.g., SnSe-10%PPy, and SnSe-30%PPy and examined their electrochemical performance for supercapacitor (SCs) applications. XRD and Raman's analysis confirmed the crystalline nature and phase purity with the adequate formation of the samples. The EDS mapping results confirm the structural homogeneity of the samples in the composite matrix, while the EDX spectrum of the samples reveals the purity and the adequate formation of the compounds. The morphological investigation reveals that the SnSe and PPy are composed of irregular particle morphology covered with thin sheets, forming highly conductive pathways for the diffusion of electrolyte ions to facilitate faradaic reactions. The detailed electrochemical investigation demonstrated that the SnSe-30%PPy nanocomposite electrode outperforms the pure SnSe, and SnSe-10%PPy electrodes with a maximum charge storage capability owing to their lower ohmic resistance during fast faradaic reactions. A hybrid-type asymmetric SC was assembled using activated carbon (AC) as an anode and the SnSe-30%PPy nanocomposite as the cathode in a sandwich-type configuration in an aqueous solution. A 1.7 V SnSe-30%PPy||AC asymmetric SCs was built that simultaneously achieved a high capacitance of 140 F/g and realized a maximum energy density of 56.19 Wh/kg at the power density of 850 W/kg at a low discharge current of 1 A/g with great cyclic stability of 84.7 % after 10,000 cycles, demonstrating their promising prospect towards future alternative energy storage devices. Our work demonstrated that pairing polymers with chalcogenides seems to be one of the promising research directions to upgrade the poor charge storage properties of polymers and prevent structural collapse efficiently.

Polypyrrole Electrodes Show Strain-Specific Enhancement of Photocurrent from Cyanobacteria

Except for a limited number of exoelectrogens, most microbes of interest are surrounded by insulating membranes impairing an efficient extracellular electron transfer. This study focuses on the fabrication of a conductive polypyrrole (PPy) based coating for enhancing microbial charge extraction. The polymer deposition was characterized and optimized using a combination of potentiodynamic and potentiostatic measurements as well as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-Ray (EDX) analysis, and Raman spectroscopy. The electrodes were used to extract photosynthetic electrons from the cyanobacteria Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 and Synechococcus Elongatus PCC7942. The PPy electrode showed a six-fold increase in extracted photocurrent for Synechocystis under unmediated conditions compared to bare graphite electrodes. This enhancement was attributed to decreased resistivity and increased electroactive surface area of the PPy electrode. By contrast, Elongatus showed no substantial difference in photocurrent between the PPy and bare electrodes. A comparison of the zeta potential and adherence of the cells suggested more limited charge interaction of Elongatus cells with the PPy surface compared to the Synechocystis cells indicating a strain-specific enhancement of these electrodes.

Fabrication of ternary polyaniline‐titanium dioxide‐polypyrrole (PANI‐TiO2‐PPy) nanocomposite as an efficient polymer electrode for supercapacitors

AbstractA facile ternary nanocomposite comprising of polyaniline, titanium dioxide, polypyrrole, that is, PANI‐TiO2‐PPy was synthesized by in‐situ chemical oxidative polymerization method and fabricated as an active electrode material for supercapacitor applications. The phase, morphology, chemical composition, electronic states and thermal behavior of PANI‐TiO2‐PPy were analyzed using XRD, FESEM/EDAX, FTIR, XPS, and TGA techniques. CV profile of PANI‐TiO2‐PPy electrode exhibits the highest specific capacitance (600 F g−1) at 1 mV/s in 1 M KOH electrolyte, which is higher than the PANI (31 F g−1), PPy (120 F g−1), and TiO2 (398 F g−1) electrodes. The charge storage mechanism of PANI‐TiO2‐PPy electrode was also explored in 1 M H2SO4 and 1 M Na2SO4 electrolytes; wherein the capacitive behavior of ternary electrode was found to be superior in alkaline electrolyte compared to acidic and neutral electrolytes. From GCD, the ternary electrode exhibited the longest charge/discharge curve when compared to unary electrodes, which affirms the improved energy storage capacity of PANI‐TiO2‐PPy. The lower ESR value (0.90 Ω) exhibited by ternary electrode in comparison with PANI (1.75 Ω), PPy (1.59 Ω), and TiO2 (2.11 Ω) and 92% of capacitive retention after 2500 charge/discharge cycles suggest that PANI‐TiO2‐PPy could be a suitable active electrode for supercapacitors.

Effect of sulfated/carboxylated cellulose nanocrystals with different degrees of substitution on the morphology and electrochemical performance of polypyrrole electrodes

As a result of different extraction methods, CNCs bear different surface groups with different degrees of substitution (DS), which may affect the electrode properties when incorporated as the reinforcing template in conducting polymer electrodes. After depositing polypyrrole (PPy) electrodes with different CNCs as dopants, we found that the PPy/CNCs electrode structure and electrochemical performance were sensitive to the DS of CNCs sulfate groups, while variation in the DS of carboxylates did not have any significant effect. PPy/CNCs electrodes deposited with carboxylated CNCs and a low sulfate group DS showed a porous and interconnected structure, while PPy/CNCs electrodes deposited with carboxylated CNCs with a high sulfate DS had a dense structure. Higher areal capacitance, higher rate capability, and smaller resistance were achieved with PPy/CNCs electrodes deposited using CNCs bearing carboxylates and a low DS of sulfate groups on CNCs. Cycling studies showed that porous electrodes reduced their charge storage capacity over 3000 cycles, however, dense PPy electrodes prepared using high-sulfate DS CNCs increased their charge storage capacity by 715% (from 0.15 to 1.07 F cm−2) over the first 1200 cycles showing opening of the structure and better electrolyte perfusion. This capacitance then stayed constant for at least another 1700 cycles.

Efficient Regulation of Polysulfides by Anatase/Bronze TiO2 Heterostructure/Polypyrrole Composites for High-Performance Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Despite having ultra-high theoretical specific capacity and theoretical energy density, lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries suffer from their low Coulombic efficiency and poor lifespan, and the commercial application of Li-S batteries is seriously hampered by the severe "shuttle effect" of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) and the large volume expansion ratio of the sulfur electrode during cycling. Designing functional hosts for sulfur cathodes is one of the most effective ways to immobilize the LiPSs and improve the electrochemical performance of a Li-S battery. In this work, a polypyrrole (PPy)-coated anatase/bronze TiO2 (TAB) heterostructure was successfully prepared and used as a sulfur host. Results showed that the porous TAB could physically adsorb and chemically interact with LiPSs during charging and discharging processes, inhibiting the LiPSs' shuttle effect, and the TAB's heterostructure and PPy conductive layer are conducive to the rapid transport of Li+ and improve the conductivity of the electrode. By benefitting from these merits, Li-S batteries with TAB@S/PPy electrodes could deliver a high initial capacity of 1250.4 mAh g-1 at 0.1 C and show an excellent cycling stability (the average capacity decay rate was 0.042% per cycle after 1000 cycles at 1 C). This work brings a new idea for the design of functional sulfur cathodes for high-performance Li-S battery.

Tubular Polypyrrole with Chloride Ion Dopants as an Ultrafast Organic Anode for High-Power Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Polypyrrole (PPy), as a representative p-type conductive polymer, attracts wide attention for energy storage materials. However, the sluggish reaction kinetics and low specific capacity of PPy impede its application in high-power lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Herein, tubular PPy with chloride and methyl orange (MO) anionic dopants is synthesized and investigated as an anode for LIBs. The Cl- and MO anionic dopants can increase the ordered aggregation and the conjugation length of pyrrolic chains, forming plentiful conductive domains and affecting the conduction channel inside the pyrrolic matrix, thereby achieving fast charge transfer and Li+ ion diffusion, low ion transfer energy barriers, and rapid reaction kinetics. On account of the above synergistic effect, PPy electrodes deliver a high specific capacity of 2067.8 mAh g-1 at 200 mA g-1 and a remarkable rate capacity of 1026 mAh g-1 at 10 A g-1 , realizing high energy density (724 Wh kg-1 ) and power density (7237 W kg-1 ) simultaneously.

Polypyrrole Electrodes Show Strain‐Specific Enhancement of Photocurrent from Cyanobacteria

AbstractThe discovery of extracellular electron conduits has spurred new applications in microbial electronics. Except for a limited number of exoelectrogens, most microbes are surrounded by insulating membranes that impair extracellular electron transfer. This study focuses on the fabrication of a conductive polypyrrole (PPy) coating for enhancing microbial charge extraction. The polymer deposition is characterized and optimized using a combination of potentiodynamic and potentiostatic measurements as well as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X‐Ray (EDX) analysis, and Raman spectroscopy. The electrodes are used to extract photosynthetic electrons from the cyanobacteria Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 (Synechocystis) and Synechococcus Elongatus PCC7942 (Elongatus). The PPy electrode shows a sixfold increase in extracted photocurrent for Synechocystis under unmediated conditions compared to bare graphite electrodes. This enhancement is attributed to the decreased resistance and increased electroactive surface area of the PPy electrode. By contrast, Elongatus shows no substantial difference in photocurrent between the PPy and bare electrodes. Compared to Synechocystis cells, the Elongatus cells show limited electrode adherence with weaker charge interactions. These findings lay the framework for designing customized polymer electrodes for strain‐specific charge extraction.

Flexible structural construction of the ternary composite Ni,Co-Prussian blue analogue@MXene/polypyrrole for high-capacity capacitive deionization

Prussian blue analogues (PBAs), as the representative of Faradaic materials, has drawn extensive attention in capacitive deionization (CDI) for unique redox activity, open framework structure, and low-cost synthesis. However, the serious aggregation, low conductivity, and easy structural collapse of PBAs nanoparticles limit the practical application in CDI. Herein, the ternary composite Ni,Co-PBA@MXene/PPy is flexibly constructed by integrating the collective advantages of Ni,Co-PBA, MXene, and PPy. In this configuration, MXene not only provides high conductivity but also acts as the good substrate for the in-situ homogeneous growth of Ni,Co-PBA nanoparticles. Furthermore, Ni,Co-PBA nanoparticles could effectively inhibit the self-stacking of MXene and facilitate fast ion intercalation. And the doping of Co in Ni,Co-PBA promotes the redox process by the pseudocapacitive contribution. Meanwhile, PPy contributes to accelerating ions transport rate and promoting the structural stability of MXene and Ni,Co-PBA. Consequently, the hybrid CDI cell AC//Ni,Co-PBA@MXene/PPy delivers prominent desalination performance with the high salt adsorption capacity (38.7 mg g−1), rapid salt adsorption rate (10 mg g−1 min−1), low energy consumption (0.283 kWh kg−1-NaCl), and outstanding cyclic stability. Most importantly, the Ni,Co-PBA@MXene/PPy electrode can reserve favorable structural integrity by the significant shielding effect of PPy to prevent Ni,Co-PBA from collapse and MXene from being oxidized.

A high performance PEDOT/PPy composite electrode enabled by regulating molecular growing orientation

The conductive polymer is a promising candidate for energy storage devices due to its flexibility, light weight, and low cost. Polypyrrole (PPy) has been widely investigated as active material in supercapacitors. Here, conductive Poly (3,4-ethyldioxythiophene) (PEDOT) is used as a substrate for electropolymerization of PPy. The counterion CF3SO3- of PEDOT can adjust the electropolymerization rate and molecular growing orientation of PPy. Therefore, the mass capacitance of the composite electrode (PEDOT/PPy) reaches a top value of 551 F/g, at 2 A/g in 1 M H2SO4 electrolyte. This value outperforms the PPy electrode on the ITO substrate by around 53.9%. Moreover, the composite electrode (PEDOT/PPy) shows better stability compared to the PPy on the ITO substrate. This study provides a new route for the preparation of high electrochemical performance conductive polymer composite electrodes.

Highly flexible polypyrrole electrode with acanthosphere-like structures for energy storage and actuator applications

Polypyrrole (PPy) is a promising electrode material for energy storage devices and soft ionic actuators owing to its high theoretical capacitance, excellent electrolyte tolerance, and easy low-cost synthesis. However, large-scale production of flexible and self-standing pristine PPy electrodes with hierarchical structures and high capacitance for practical applications remains challenging. Herein, we report a large-scale flexible PPy membrane (15 cm in diameter) with acanthosphere-like vesicle structures (PPy-V) formed via nonionic surfactant–assisted interfacial polymerization. The unique structure could offer the PPy-V electrode more electrochemical active sites for high electrolyte loading and enable fast ion/electron transfer, resulting in improved electrochemical performance. The PPy-V electrode showed a high specific capacitance of 1434.21 mF cm−2 at a current density of 1 mA cm−2, with a capacitance retention rate of 87.2 % after 5000 cycles. The symmetrical supercapacitor assembled using the PPy-V electrode exhibited an energy density of 35.34 μW h cm−2 at a power density of 0.12 μW cm−2, and the curved actuator showed a reversible deformation with a low power consumption per unit strain of 7.45 mW cm−2 %−1. These superior properties of the PPy-V electrode with the bioinspired hierarchical structure make it a promising candidate for flexible supercapacitors and soft ionic actuators.