Facile Synthesis of Graphitic Carbon Nitride@Polypyrrole/Ta2O5 Nanocomposite as Supercapacitor with Improved Electrochemical Performance for Energy Storage Applications

In this study, an in-situ oxidation polymerization approach and a surface adsorption procedure were combined to create a polypyrrole/graphitic carbon nitride (GCN)/tantalum pentoxide (Ta2O5) (Ppy/GCN/Ta2O5) nanocomposite. This nanocomposite was used as an electrode for a supercapacitor. Investigations were made on the nanomorphology and crystal structure of Ppy, Ppy/GCN, Ppy/Ta2O5, and Ppy/GCN/Ta2O5. The developed Ppy/GCN/Ta2O5 electrode-based supercapacitor's electrochemical performance was evaluated using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and AC impedance techniques in a 3 M KOH electrolyte. The Ppy/GCN/Ta2O5 nanocomposite's average crystallite size is 50 nm. The Ppy/GCN/Ta2O5 has a network of agglomerated GCN and Ta2O5 nanoparticles with extra spherical forms that are associated to Ppy. Their absorption intensities improve with the creation of the Ppy/GCN/Ta2O5 nanocomposite. The specific capacitance of Ppy/GCN/Ta2O5 in 3 M KOH was determined to be 1190 F/g at a current density of 5 A/g. The Ppy/GCN/Ta2O5 electrode in KOH has average specific energy and specific power densities of 857 Wh kg(-1) and 7259 W kg(-1), respectively. Only 2% of the capacitance's initial value is lost after 10000 cycles. The results demonstrate the high stability and effective performance of the Ppy/GCN/Ta2O5 electrode used in supercapacitors.