Electrochemically tuned oxidized carbon nanotubes reinforced polypyrrole matrix in varying electrolytic environment as supercapacitor electrode
摘要
An appropriate combination of electrode-electrolytes has the competence to augment the supercapacitive behaviour to a greater range of excellence. Following this, a binary polymeric composite PPy/o-CNTs (PC) has been synthesized via in-situ chemical oxidative polymerization of polypyrrole (PPy) in the presence of oxidized carbon nanotubes (o-CNTs) and its electrochemical performance has been evaluated in difference electrolytic environments viz. 1/2/3 M KCl and 1/2/3 M H2SO4. The composite PC elucidated the highest specific capacitance of 364.5 F g− 1 (at 100 mV s− 1) and 487.4 F g− 1 (at 1 A g− 1) in 3 M KCl and 729.9 F g− 1 (at 100 mV s− 1) and 559.7 F g− 1 (at 1 A g− 1) in 3 M H2SO4 respectively. The synthesized composite also showed significantly improved cyclic behaviour with capacitance retention up to 94.65% in 2 M KCl for 2000 GCD cycles. The improved electrochemical performance of PC could be attributed to the presence of o-CNT which not only provided a conductive network throughout the electrode materials to facilitate charge transfer kinetics but also provided a mechanically stable support thereby anchoring the polymeric chain to enhance the overall cyclic stability. Further, the lower value of solution resistance and charge transfer resistance also affirmed the ameliorated supercapacitive behaviour of PC.