Synthesis and characterization of polyaniline nanotube supported nanocomposite of RuO2 as electrode material for application in supercapacitor device

With the rapid development of nanotechnology, the study of nanocomposites as electrode materials has signif-icantly enhanced the scope of research towards energy storage applications. Exploring electrode material with superior electrochemical properties is still a challenge for high-performance supercapacitors. In the present research article, the synthesis and characterization of a novel nanocomposite of RuO2 nanoparticles grown over supported matrix of polyaniline nanotube (PNT) is reported. The nanocomposite (PNT/RuO2) is structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) which reveal that the formed nanocomposite is highly amorphous in nature which is beneficial for the permeation of electrolytic ions through the electrodic matrix. Thermograms suggest that 25% of RuO2 nanoparticles are adsorbed on PNT's surface, with PNT serving as the supporting matrix. The composition of PNT/RuO2 is found to be -3:1. TEM micrographs show that PNT is acting as a supporting matrix having length-2-4 mu m and diameter-125 nm for the growth of RuO2 nanoparticles in PNT/ RuO2 nanocomposite. The globular shaped RuO2 nanoparticles with diameter-220 nm are formed which are highly interconnected with each other. The surface morphology is characterized by Scanning Electron Micro-scope (SEM) which shows that the PNT/RuO2 nanocomposite is of dense morphology and RuO2 nanoparticles has enfolded the PNT throughout due to which it is anaalysed that the interconnectivity between the chains of PNT has also increased. The electrochemical characterization carried out in three electrode cell shows that the PNT/ RuO2 nanocomposite shows specific capacitance-1140 F/g at 5 mV/s. Further, the electrochemical charac-terizations are also carried out in redox additive electrolyte hydroquinone/H2SO4 where hydroquinone acts as redox additive. The result show that the specific capacitance of PNT/RuO2 nanocomposite is -828 F/g at 5 mV/ s retaining good rate capability, -45 % decay has been observed as the scan rate increases from 5 to 100 mV/s. These characteristic suggest that it could be used as potential electrode material for supercapacitor.