Synthesis of Polyaniline/Co(OH)₂/Ni(OH)₂ Nanocomposite Electrode Material for Supercapacitor Applications

Abstract

We attempt to demonstrate the experimentally supercapacitive performance of polyaniline (PANI) - cobalt hydroxide (Co(OH) 2 )-nickel hydroxide (Ni(OH) 2 ) nanocomposites (NCs), prepared potentiostically via electrochemical deposition, compared to phase pure individual nanostructures. Amorphous PANI, Co(OH) 2 – Ni(OH) 2 and NCs are entirely different from one another from the surface appearance point of view, PANI exhibits nanofiber morphology, NCs exhibits nanofiber partially covered with Co(OH) 2 - Ni(OH) 2 materials and Co(OH) 2 - Ni(OH) 2 shows platelet morphology. The electrochemical properties of the PANI, Co(OH) 2 - Ni(OH) 2 and HNs electrodes have been investigated by cyclic voltammograms and galvanostatic charge-discharge. The specific capacitances of PANI, NCs and Co(OH) 2 – Ni(OH) 2 are found to be 0.59, 50, 46.4, 85.7, 74.1 and 312.5 F/g, respectively, at a sweep rate of 10 mV/s in 1.0 M NaOH electrolyte. The same nature of retention values in area of CV curves and power densities of PANI, NCs and Co(OH) 2 – Ni(OH) 2 with increased in scan rates are 25.8, 70.5, 75.5, 76.6, 57 and 42.4%, respectively and the same nature of retention in charge density, specific capacitance, and energy density values are 38.7, 33.8, 40.7, 42.6, 23.1 and 17.3% respectively for PANI, NCs and Co(OH) 2 - Ni(OH) 2 electrodes with increase in scan rate.