A binder free synthesis of 1D PANI and 2D MoS2 nanostructured hybrid composite electrodes by the electrophoretic deposition (EPD) method for supercapacitor application

Abstract

A facile, binder-free approach is applied, along with the electrophoretic deposition (EPD) method, to fabricate large-scale, hybrid 2D MoS₂ nanosheets and 1D polyaniline (PANI) nanowires based electrodes on a conducting substrate for supercapacitor electrode material. The entire substrate surface is uniformly decorated by electrophoretically assembled MoS₂ 2D nanosheets and 1D nanowires of PANI, revealed by structural and morphological analysis. The electrochemical capacitive measurements of the MoS₂/PANI hybrid electrode exhibit a specific capacitance of ∼485 F g⁻¹ at a low charging–discharging current density (1 mA cm⁻²). The MoS₂ : PANI composition ratio was varied as 1 : 1, 1 : 2 and 1 : 3 to achieve high supercapacitive performance. The maximum supercapacitive performance (∼812 F g⁻¹) was obtained for a 1 : 2 ratio of MoS₂ and PANI, with high energy density (112 W h kg⁻¹) and power density (0.6 kW kg⁻¹). Synergistic interactions between conductive 1D PANI and 2D MoS₂ nanosheets with high surface area lead to a high supercapacitive performance. A binder approach to the direct synthesis of hybrid electrode by the EPD method eradicates the drawbacks offered by conventional electrodes prepared by the general slurry coating technique with resistive binders.