Graphitic carbon anchored sulphonated and transition metal oxide doped polyaniline nanocomposite materials for supercapacitor electrodes

Abstract

To meet a fast-growing market demand for renewable energy storage systems, electro-mechanical, robotic, automobile green energy demands and next generation portable electronic devices with higher performance and increased device functionalities, efficient electrical energy devices with substantially higher energy, power densities and faster recharge times are needed. Supercapacitors occupies a pivotal role in this context. In this work, nanostructured sulphonated polyaniline and transition metal single, binary and ternary mixed oxides (Tantalum(IV)oxide, tantalum(IV)oxide-nickel(II)oxide, tantalum(II)oxide-manganese(III)oxide, tantalum(II)oxide-nickel(II)oxide-manganese(II,III)oxide) doped nanocomposites with electro-conductive properties were synthesised using modified sol-gel methods. These were then dispersed, individually, in acidic media and incorporated in-situ into the polymeric matrix during the oxidative chemical polymerization of poly(4-styrene sulphonic acid) doped aniline. On being integrated with activated graphite, they were used in the design of supercapacitors.