Synthesis of curly graphene nanoribbon/polyaniline/MnO2 composite and its application in supercapacitor

Abstract

Curly graphene nanoribbon/polyaniline/MnO₂ (CGNR/PANI/MnO₂) nanocomposites with a unique structure is prepared. The formation mechanism of the CGNR/PANI/MnO₂ nanocomposite was proposed, and the morphology and structure were characterized by electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Raman spectroscopy. The CGNR/PANI/MnO₂ nanocomposite was investigated for supercapacitor applications. The CGNR/PANI/MnO₂ electrode delivered a very high specific capacitance of 496 F g⁻¹, which was much higher than that of CGNR (131 F g⁻¹), PANI (301 F g⁻¹) and MnO₂ (33 F g⁻¹), whereas 81.1% of its initial capacitance was retained after 5000 cycles at a scan rate of 50 mV s⁻¹. The CGNR/PANI/MnO₂ electrode was also evaluated via a two-electrode configuration, and the supercapacitor delivered a specific capacitance of 103 F g⁻¹. The enhanced electrochemical performance of the CGNR/PANI/MnO₂ electrode was ascribed to the unique structure and the synergetic effect of the three components in the composite.