Preparation and performance of PANI/RFC/rGO composite electrode materials for supercapacitors

The key to the development of conductive polymer supercapacitors is to design a conductive polymer which can composite with higher specific capacitance and prolong the cycle life. Herein, we synthesized PANI/RFC/rGO composite by in situ polymerization. The synergy of these three materials formed a three-dimensional porous structure in spatial relationship which can promote contact between electrode materials and electrolyte ions. And the electrical double-layer capacitors (EDLCs) which rely on an electrical double layer generated at the electrode/electrolyte interface can be used effectively. Through electrochemical tests, the specific capacitance of PANI/RFC/rGO composite reached 523 F·g−1 at a current density of 1 A·g−1, which is much higher than that of onefold PANI and PANI/RFC. To some extent, the lamellar structure of rGO limits the expansion and contraction of PANI, which can effectively improve the cycling stability of the electrode material. The initial capacitance of the composite remained at 87.6%, after 5000 charge-discharge cycles at a current density of 1 A·g−1. Therefore, PANI/RFC/rGO composites, as electrodes for conducting polymer supercapacitors, have potential applications in the field of electrochemistry.