Polyaniline/MnO2-PLA composites: a high-performance and eco-friendly electrode for supercapacitors
摘要
Polyaniline (PANI) has wide application prospects in energy storage for environmental protection. In this paper, a binary composite material consisting of manganese dioxide (MnO₂) and PANI was synthesized and then combined with the degradable polymer polylactic acid (PLA) to prepare an environmentally degradable electrode. The optimal amount of MnO2 was determined, and the electrochemical performance of the composite material was systematically studied in three different electrolytes including H2SO4, ZnSO4, and Na2SO4. The PANI/MnO2 composite material (PANI/MnO2-1) exhibits good charging-discharging behavior with a specific capacitance of 605 F/g in 0.5 M H2SO4, 43% increases compared to pure PANI. It indicates that the introduction of MnO2 enhance the charge storage capacity of the electrode. Additionally, the PANI/MnO2-1 electrode retains 71% of capacitance after 1000 cycles in ZnSO4 electrolyte, demonstrating good zinc-ion storage performance. Furthermore, the PANI/MnO2–2-1-PLA electrode, fabricated using PLA as a binder, exhibited a specific capacitance of 416 F/g in 0.5 M H2SO4. Notably, it retained 93% of its maximum capacitance after being soaked in the acidic electrolyte for 60 days, demonstrating good short-term electrochemical stability. These results suggest that incorporating biodegradable PLA as a binder does not significantly compromise performance and offers a promising strategy for developing environmentally friendly supercapacitor electrodes.