article · RSC Advances
A new nanocomposite material combining mixed-phase copper oxides, reduced graphene oxide, and polyaniline has been developed for supercapacitor electrodes using a low-cost, in situ chemical synthesis approach. The method relies on co-precipitation followed by oxidative polymerisation, dispersing the copper oxides and reduced graphene oxide evenly throughout the conducting polymer matrix. This design forms a fibrous network that accelerates electron transport and ion diffusion to the electrode surface. In laboratory testing, the composite delivered a specific capacitance of 508 Farads per gram at a current density of 1.0 Ampere per gram, nearly doubling the performance of unmodified copper oxide. It achieved an energy density of 23.95 Watt hours per kilogram and a power density of 374 Watts per kilogram. The material also demonstrated strong durability, retaining 93 percent of its starting capacitance after 5,000 cycles.
Supercapacitors are energy storage devices that can charge quickly and supply high bursts of power. Developing efficient, long-lasting electrode materials from accessible, low-cost chemical processes helps address the common trade-off between energy capacity and cycling lifespan, supporting the development of more durable energy storage systems.
The material is designed for use in supercapacitor electrodes, making it potentially relevant to energy storage component manufacturers. The synthesis route is described as low-cost and straightforward, which could be advantageous for production. However, this is early-stage laboratory research focused on material synthesis and baseline electrochemical testing, meaning device integration and commercial scale-up remain unaddressed in the abstract.
AI-generated from the published abstract. Always read the original work before citing.
Copper oxide-based nanocomposites are promising electrode materials for high-performance supercapacitors due to their unique properties that aid electrolyte access and ion diffusion to the electrode surface. Herein, a facile and low-cost synthesis <i>in situ</i> strategy based on co-precipitation and incorporation processes of reduced graphene oxide (rGO), followed by <i>in situ</i> oxidative polymerization of aniline monomer has been reported. CuO@Cu<sub>4</sub>O<sub>3</sub>/rGO/PANI nanocomposite revealed the good distribution of CuO@Cu<sub>4</sub>O<sub>3</sub> and rGO within the polymer matrix which allows improved electron transport and ion diffusion process. Galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD) results displayed a higher specific capacitance value of 508 F g<sup>-1</sup> for CuO@Cu<sub>4</sub>O<sub>3</sub>/rGO/PANI at 1.0 A g<sup>-1</sup> in comparison to the pure CuO@Cu<sub>4</sub>O<sub>3</sub> 278 F g<sup>-1</sup>. CuO@Cu<sub>4</sub>O<sub>3</sub>/rGO/PANI displays an energy density of 23.95 W h kg<sup>-1</sup> and power density of 374 W kg<sup>-1</sup> at the current density of 1 A g<sup>-1</sup> which is 1.8 times higher than that of CuO@Cu<sub>4</sub>O<sub>3</sub> (13.125 W h kg<sup>-1</sup>) at the same current density. The retention of the electrode was 93% of its initial capacitance up to 5000 cycles at a scan rate of 100 mV s<sup>-1</sup>. The higher capacitance of the CuO@Cu<sub>4</sub>O<sub>3</sub>/rGO/PANI electrode was credited to the formation of a fibrous network structure and rapid ion diffusion paths through the nanocomposite matrix that resulted in enhanced surface-dependent electrochemical properties.
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DOI: 10.1039/d4ra00065j
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