Polymer Based Supercapacitors

POLYMER BASED SUPERCAPACITORS
Soney C George, Dean Research,

Center for Nanoscience and Technology
Amal Jyothi College of Engineering,
Kanjirappally
1. INTRODUCTION
The novel strategy for storing a large amount of electrical energy was ingeniously implemented
in the form of an electrochemical device called supercapacitors or ultracapacitors. The high
energy storage capacity, high power density, and energy density, and long cycle life make them
an alternative to other energy storage or generation devices such as secondary batteries and
fuel cells. Unlike other energy storage devices, the energy storage mechanism of
supercapacitors involves an electrical double-layer capacitance and pseudocapacitance.
Carbon-based materials are generally used in the electrical double-layer capacitors due to their
high specific surface area and conductivity. Metal oxides and conducting polymers and their
composites are used in the pseudocapacitors. The introduction of pseudocapacitive materials
increased the electrical energy storage capacity of electrical double-layer capacitors.
Polymers, especially conducting polymers including polyaniline, polypyrrole, polythiophene
has drawn the scientific attraction due to their promising pseudocapacitive behavior.
Furthermore, they can also be used as a separator, a binder, and electrolytes in the fabrication
of a supercapacitor device. Fluorine containing polymers such as polyvinylidene fluoride
(PVDF) is one such potential electrochemically active polymer (EAP) used in the fabrication
of supercapacitor. The unique set of properties, the versatility in the fabrication and processing,
exceptional stability towards thermal, chemical, radiation and whether drawn the attention of
many researchers for selecting PVDF as special attributes. Graphene is a good choice as
electrode materials due their high electrical conductivity.

2. EXPERIMENTAL
2.1. Materials
Graphite powder was purchased from Sigma Aldrich. Other chemicals such as potassium
permanganate (KMnO4), sulphuric acid (H2SO4), hydrochloric acid (HCl) and hydrogen
peroxide (H2O2) were procured from Nice Chemicals, Kochi, India. All the experiments were
carried in deionized water without further purification of chemicals.
2.2. Preparation of Graphene Oxide (GO) and Reduced Graphene Oxide (RGO)
About 5 gm of graphite powder was added into a beaker containing 115 mL of cooled H2SO4.
15gm of KMnO4 was added gradually with stirring and cooling so that the temperature of the
mixture was maintained at 10-150C. The mixture was then heated and stirred at 350C for 30
minutes. Then the temperature was raised to 900C for 30 minutes after that 125mL of deionized
water was added. Finally, 25 mL of 30% H2O2 solution was added sequentially to reduce the
excess KMnO4. The sample obtained was filtered and washed with 100 mL deionized water
followed by the addition of hydrochloric acid. The filtrate was resuspended in deionized water
and followed by ultrasonication treatment for 5 minutes. The process is repeated until the
filtrate became neutral. The solid product was then dried in a vacuum oven at 600C for 24 h.
About 1 gm of GO was added into 1L of deionized water and followed by ultrasonic treatment
for 15 minutes. 1.5 gm of hydrazine monohydrate was added into it and stirred continuously
for 10 h at 980C. The solution was cooled and the filtrate was washed with deionized water
several times. The filtrate is then dried in a vacuum oven at 600C for 24 h.
2.3. Characterization and Instrumentation
The X-ray diffraction analysis was carried out using Rigaku miniflex 600 diffractometer. The
analysis is carried out at a generator voltage of 40 kV and a current of 15 mA with Cuk alpha
of wavelength 1.5406.
3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

3.1. X- Ray Diffraction Analysis
The diffractograms of GO and RGO were depicted in figure 1. The XRD pattern of GO shows
a sharp peak at 2θ=10.280 attributed to GO. However, it is clear from the XRD pattern of GO
that the complete oxidation of graphite powder has not taken place. Because the small
characteristic diffraction peak obtained at 2θ=20.730 is the characteristic peak of graphite. The
diffractogram of RGO shows a peak at 2θ=21.380 indicating the presence of reduced graphene
oxide. The complete disappearance of the characteristic peak of GO at 2θ=10.280 indicates that
the chemical reduction of GO was successfully done. According to Bragg's law (2dhkl sinθ =
nλ), an increase in the peak position (θ) towards a larger angle resulted in a decrease in dhkl.
About 50% reduction in the interlayer spacing (dhkl) of GO (dhkl = 8.596nm) was observed after
the chemical reduction (for RGO dhkl = 4.15nm). As a result of the chemical reduction, the
oxygen-containing functionalities (such as carboxylic, hydroxyl, epoxy, carbonyl) were
removed from GO and the intramolecular bonding become stronger.
Figure 1: XRD pattern of graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (RGO)
3.2. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopic analysis
Figure 2
Figure 2: FTIR Spectrum of graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (RGO)
4. CONCLUSION
This report presents the initial step for the fabrication of polymer-based supercapacitor. The
samples of GO and RGO were given for the Raman and FITR analysis. The preparation of
PVDF/RGO nanocomposite is the next step of the study.

The diffractograms of GO and RGO were depicted in figure 1. The XRD pattern of GO shows
a sharp peak at 2θ=10.280 attributed to GO. However, it is clear from the XRD pattern of GO
that the complete oxidation of graphite powder has not taken place. Because the small
characteristic diffraction peak obtained at 2θ=20.730 is the characteristic peak of graphite. The
diffractogram of RGO shows a peak at 2θ=21.380 and it is the characteristic peak of reduced
graphene oxide. The complete disappearance of the peak of GO at 2θ=10.280 indicating the
successful chemical reduction of GO. According to Bragg's law (2dhkl sinθ = nλ), the shift of
peak position (2θ) towards a higher angle is the result of a decrease in dhkl. About 50%
reduction in the interlayer spacing of GO was observed after the chemical reduction. As a result
of the chemical reduction, the oxygen-containing functionalities (such as carboxylic, hydroxyl,
epoxy, and carbonyl) were removed from GO and the intramolecular bonding become stronger.

Polymer Based Supercapacitors

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Polymer Based Supercapacitors

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Polymer Based Supercapacitors

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

POLYMER BASED SUPERCAPACITORS

Soney C George, Dean Research,

in the form of an electrochemical device called supercapacitors or ultracapacitors. The high

supercapacitors involves an electrical double-layer capacitance and pseudocapacitance.

composites are used in the pseudocapacitors. The introduction of pseudocapacitive materials

increased the electrical energy storage capacity of electrical double-layer capacitors.

Polymers, especially conducting polymers including polyaniline, polypyrrole, polythiophene

of a supercapacitor device. Fluorine containing polymers such as polyvinylidene fluoride

electrode materials due their high electrical conductivity.

carried in deionized water without further purification of chemicals.

3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

oxygen-containing functionalities (such as carboxylic, hydroxyl, epoxy, carbonyl) were

removed from GO and the intramolecular bonding become stronger.

3.2. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopic analysis

PVDF/RGO nanocomposite is the next step of the study.

of the chemical reduction, the oxygen-containing functionalities (such as carboxylic, hydroxyl,

You might also like