Conjunction of Conducting Polymer Nanostructures with Macroporous Structured Graphene Thin Films for High-Performance Flexible Supercapacitors.
Fabrication of hybridized structures is an effective strategy to promote the performances of graphene-based composites for energy storage/conversion applications. In this work, macroporous structured graphene thin films (MGTFs) are fabricated on various substrates including flexible graphene papers (GPs) through an ice-crystal-induced phase separation process. The MGTFs prepared on GPs (MGTF@GPs) are recognized with remarkable features such as interconnected macroporous configuration, sufficient exfoliation of the conductive RGO sheets, and good mechanical flexibility. As such, the flexible MGTF@GPs are demonstrated as a versatile conductive platform for depositing conducting polymers (CPs), e.g., polyaniline (PAn), polypyrrole, and polythiophene, through in situ electropolymerization. The contents of the CPs in the composite films are readily controlled by varying the electropolymerization time. Notably, electrodeposition of PAn leads to the formation of nanostructures of PAn nanofibers on the walls of the macroporous structured RGO framework (PAn@MGTF@GPs): thereafter, the PAn@MGTF@GPs display a unique structural feature that combine the nanostructures of PAn nanofibers and the macroporous structures of RGO sheets. Being used as binder-free electrodes for flexible supercapacitors, the PAn@MGTF@GPs exhibit excellent electrochemical performance, in particular a high areal specific capacity (538 mF cm(-2)), high cycling stability, and remarkable capacitive stability to deformation, due to the unique electrode structures.
Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences , 29 Zhongguancun East Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100190, China.|State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology , 15 Beisanhuan East Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100029, China.
Mushtaque A
MA
Memon
Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences , 29 Zhongguancun East Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100190, China.
Wei
W
Bai
Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences , 29 Zhongguancun East Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100190, China.
Jinhua
J
Sun
Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences , 29 Zhongguancun East Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100190, China.
Muhammad
M
Imran
Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences , 29 Zhongguancun East Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100190, China.|State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology , 15 Beisanhuan East Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100029, China.
Shah Nawaz
SN
Phulpoto
State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology , 15 Beisanhuan East Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100029, China.
Shouke
S
Yan
Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences , 29 Zhongguancun East Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100190, China.
Yong
Y
Huang
Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences , 29 Zhongguancun East Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100190, China.
Jianxin
J
Geng
conducting polymers; electropolymerization; flexible supercapacitors; graphene papers; macroporous structured graphene thin films