Polythiophene-based reduced graphene oxide and carbon black nanocomposites for supercapacitors

In this study, polythiophene (PTh), reduced graphene oxide (rGO), or graphene oxide (GO) and carbon black (CB) nanocomposites (rGO/PTh/CB and GO/PTh/CB) have been prepared chemically and electrospinning method for two-electrode symmetric attractive application prospects for supercapacitors. They have been synthesized by an easy procedure and cheaper than most of the other thiophene-based materials in the literature. Nanocomposites are characterized by Fourier-transform infrared-attenuated total reflection spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR), scanning electron microscopy-energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM-EDX), atomic force microscopy (AFM), thermal gravimetric analysis-differential thermal analysis (TGA-DTA), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area, and Four-point probe conductivity analysis. The highest electrical conductivity was calculated as 22.4 x 10(-4) S x cm(-1) for PTh due to the good conjugation of pi-pi bonds. The highest specific capacitance (C-sp = 930.63 F x g(-1) by CV method at 2 mV x s(-1)), capacitance retention (similar to 92.57% at 1000 cycles at 100 mV x s(-1) by CV method), energy density (E = 42.47 Wh x kg(-1)) and power density (P = 1532 W x kg(-1) by GCD method) were obtained for rGO/PTh/CB nanocomposite. With the addition of PTh and CB on GO material, the specific capacitance was increased 6.86 times from C-sp = 135.62 F x g(-1) for rGO to C-sp = 930.62 F x g(-1) for rGO/PTh/CB nanocomposite at 2 mV x s(-1) by CV method. In addition, R-s(C1Rct(C2R1)) circuit model was applied to interpret electrical parameters of supercapacitors. The results of this investigation demonstrate that rGO/PTh/CB nanocomposite can be successfully used as a supercapacitor technology.