Energy efficient capacitors based on graphene/conducting polymer hybrids

Capacitors Based on Polypyrrole Nanowire Electrodeposits

The electrochemical polymerization of polypyrrole nanowires is carried out using potentiodynamic and galvanostatic methods in order to enhance the performance of the modified electrodes as capacitor devices. The electrochemical, spectroscopic, and morphological properties are determined through cyclic voltammetry, Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy, respectively, corroborating the presence of PPy-nw in dimensions of 30 nm in diameter. Characterization as a capacitor revealed that the nanowire structure enhances key parameters such as specific capacitance with 60 times greater value than bulk polymer modification, in addition to a significant increase in stability. In this way, it is verified that electrodes modified with polypyrrole nanowires obtained in situ by electrochemical methods constitute an excellent candidate for the development of capacitors.

Electrochemical Activity of Lignin Based Composite Membranes

Our society’s most pressing challenges, like high CO₂ emission and the constant battle against energy poverty, require a clean and easier solution to store and utilize the renewable energy resources. However, recent electrochemical components are expensive and harmful to the environment, which restricts their widespread deployment. This study proposes an easy method to synthesize and fabricate composite membranes with abundantly found biomass lignin polymer to replace conventional costly and toxic electrode materials. Easier manipulation of lignin within the polymeric matrix could provide the improved composite to enhance its electrochemical activity. Our major focus is to activate the quinone moiety via oxidation in the polymeric mixture using a strong ionic acid. The physico-chemical and electrochemical characterizations of two different lignins within varied polymeric mixture compositions have been carried out to confirm that the redox properties of pure unmodified lignin could be achieved via intrinsic mutual sharing of the structural properties and intercross linkage leading to improved integrity and redox activity/conductivity.

Hydrothermal synthesis of PANI nanowires for high-performance supercapacitor

Polyaniline nanowires (PANI NWs) were synthesized under different temperatures through a facile hydrothermal method and used as electrodes for high-performance pseudocapacitor. The resulting samples were analyzed by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron micrographs, thermogravimetric analysis, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Electrochemical properties of these PANI electrodes are studied by cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge–discharge test, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in 0.5M H2SO4 aqueous solution. The highest specific capacitance is obtained on the PANI NWs synthesized under 80°C (PANI-80) with 540.0 F g−1 at current density of 0.5 A g−1 accompanied with 82% specific capacitance retention after 1000 charge discharge cycles at 5 A g−1 current density.