Mechanically strong high performance layered polypyrrole nano fibre/graphene film for flexible solid state supercapacitor

Abstract

Paper like flexible electrode becomes one of the most important research objects recently in request of the fast expanding market of portable electronics. Flexible solid state supercapacitors are shortlisted as one of the most promising energy devices to power electronics with medium to high power density requirements. In this work, we developed a simple but effective way to produce a mechanically strong and electrochemically active RGO/polypyrrole (PPy) fibre paper. A well-bedded microstructure was created with interlaced polypyrrole fibres evenly distributed between the graphene layers. Such microstructure can create enormous amount of pores and therefore provides larger interfaces for charge carrier storage/release. The effects of polypyrrole fibres on the film's morphologies, mechanical properties and electrochemical performance were discussed. A solid state supercapacitor was demonstrated using such paper electrodes and a gel type electrolyte -phosphate acid (H3PO4) infused polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). It showed a high capacitance (345 F g-1) and an excellent cycling stability (9.4% drop after 1000 cycles). infused polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). It showed a high capacitance (345 F g -1 ) and an excellent cycling stability (9.4% drop after 1000 cycles).

Chemically converted graphene: scalable chemistries to enable processing and fabrication

“…For example, chemical vapor deposition has predominantly been used to produce thin, highly conducting films for electronic/optoelectronics or bioelectronics 11 or for optically transparent films. [12][13][14] Chemically converted graphene (CCG) has been used to form electrodes for energy conversion (solar cells) and storage (batteries/capacitors), [15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23] industrial catalysis, 24 chemical and bio-sensing applications 25 as well as polymer composites with improved mechanical and electrical properties. 26,27 The difference in the kinds of applications suitable for each type of graphene preparation largely reflects the graphene sheet or platelet size produced, with mechanical or thermal exfoliation typically resulting in large single or several layer sheets that are challenging to handle and fabricate into devices, whereas chemical exfoliation produces smaller dispersible platelets that can be more readily processed and produced on a large scale.…”

Free-standing composite hydrogel films for superior volumetric capacitance

“…We adopted graphene oxide (GO) in this study because it has shown great potential in the development of energy storage devices8,10,11,[30][31][32][33][34] and other applications7,9,35 . When GO suspension was mixed with the solution of PANi and poly (2-acrylamido-2methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid) (denoted PAMPA)groups of GO and the positively charged nitrogen atoms of both PANi and PAMPA (Figure S1acontains the polymers' morphology); leaving the mixture at 95 °C for 12 h changed the colour from brown to black.…”

Environmental Perspectives

“…There is considerable interest in using nanotechnology to develop hydrogen fuel cells (see review [85]): a search for "hydrogen fuel cell nano)" in Web of Science (Thompson ReutersÔ) in November 2014 returned nearly 4000 peer-reviewed articles, 68% of which had been published since 2010. CNTs can be effective H adsorbents [86,87], and ENMs such as graphene and nickel oxide have been used to increase the adsorbent surface in supercapacitors [88,89]. Although these technologies are still at the experimental stage, it is hoped that further research and development will improve their commercial viability in the future.…”